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“Look Here, Esther,” He Began 


THE 

CAMP FIRE GIRLS 
ACROSS THE SEAS 


MARGARET VANDERCOOK 

Author of "The Baach Girls Series,” etc. 


ILLUSTRATED 


PHILADELPHIA 

THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO. 


PUBLISHERS 


Copyright, 1914, by 
Thb John C. Winston Co. 



I 

FEB 16 1915 

©aA393652 


CONTENTS 


PACOS 

I. Two Years Later .... 7 

n. The Wheel Revolves . . 22 

III. Farewells 36 

IV. Unter den Linden .... 49 

V. Changes 57 

VI. A Cosmopolitan Company . 67 

VII. Das Rheingold 77 

VIII. Other Scenes 88 

IX. The Meeting 101 

X. An Adventure 109 

XI. And Its Consequences. . . 118 

XII. The Uncertain Future . . 132 

XIII. Richard Ashton 146 

XIV. Betty’s Strange Disappear- 

ance 15S 

XV. The Finding of Brunhilde 169 

XVI. A Heart-to-Heart Talk . . 183 

XVII. The Day Before Esther’s 

Debut 195 

XVIII. That Night 208 

XIX. Tea at the Castle .... 221 

XX. Esther and Dick 235 

XXI. Sunrise Cabin 244 


( 5 ) 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


^^Look Here, Esther/' He Began 

Frontispiece 


There Was a Slight Sound from 
His Listener 15 

‘‘Tell Me More About the Places 
Near Here" 81 


“Pibt-y Thousand Dollars to Mb!'’ 205 


Tlie Camp Fire Girls 
Across tlie Seas 


CHAPTER I 
Two Years Later 

A YOUNG man strode along through 
one of the principal streets of the 
town of Woodford, New Hamp- 
shire, with his blue eyes clouded and an 
expression of mingled displeasure and 
purpose about the firm lines of his 
mouth. 

It was an April afternoon and the warm 
sunshine uncurling the tiny buds on the 
old elm trees lit to a brighter hue the 
yellow Forsythia bushes already in bloom 
in the gardens along the way. 

Standing in front of an inconspicuous 
brown cottage was a large touring car, 
empty of occupants. Within a few yards 
( 7 ) 


8 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


of Uiis car the young man paused, frown- 
ing, and then gazed anxiously up toward 
the closed door of the house. A short 
time afterwards this door opened when 
.a girl, wearing a scarlet coat and a felt 
hat of the same shade pinned carelessly 
on her dark hair, hurried forth and with 
her eyes cast down and an air of sup- 
pressed excitement moved off in the oppo- 
site direction, without becoming aware of 
the onlooker. And although the bystand- 
er’s lips moved once as if forming her 
name with the intention of calling after 
her, his impulse must have immediately 
vdied, for he continued motionless in the 
same spot until the girl had finally turned 
a comer and was lost to his view. Then 
the young man walked on again, but not 
so rapidly or resolutely as at first. 

Indeed, he was so intensely absorbed in 
his own line of thought as to be uncon- 
scious of the other passers-by, imtil some 
one stopped directly in front of him and 
a familiar voice pronounced his name. 

'‘Why, Billy Webster, where are you 
goiilg?” Meg Everett demanded. "You 
look as if you were giving Atlas a holi- 


TWO YEARS LATER 


9 


day this afternoon and had transferred the 
weight of the world to your own shoulders/^ 

Two years had changed the greater 
number of the old Sunrise Hill Camp 
Fire members from girls to young women, 
but they had not made a conspicuous 
difference in Margaret Everett. Her sunny 
yellow hair was tucked up, but today the 
April winds had loosened it, and though 
she was dressed with greater care than 
before the Camp Fire influence, she would 
never altogether approach her brother 
John^s ideal of quiet elegance, as the 
Princess always had. Yet her eyes were 
so gay and friendly and her face so full 
of quick color and sympathy, that there 
were few other young men besides her 
older brother who found much to criticize 
in her. And certainly not the small boy 
at her side, who had once been ‘^Hai-yi,^^ 
the Indian name for Little Brother,^' to 
the twelve girls at Sunrise Hill. 

Returning Meg’s interested gaze, Billy 
Webster, who was never given to subter- 
fuges, had a sudden impulse to seek in- 
formation and possible aid from her. 

'Hs it true, Meg,” he asked, ^Hhat Miss 


10 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


Adams, the actress, is here in Woodford 
visiting her cousin and that Polly O^NeiU 
has been going to see her every day and 
riding over the country in her motor car? 
I thought Mrs. Wharton had insisted that 
Polly was to have nothing to do v/itli 
anything or anybody connected with the 
stage until three years had passed. It 
has been only two since PoUy^s escapade, 
and it seems to me that nothing could so 
awaken a girFs interest as being made the 
companion and friend of a famous woman. 
I thought Mrs. Wharton had better judg- 
ment. Polly had almost forgotten the whole 
business!’’ 

As she shook her head Meg Everett’s 
face wore a slightly puzzled look. For she 
was wondering at the instant if it could 
be possible that Billy had any special right 
to his concern in Polly O’Neill’s proceed- 
ings. MoUie O’Neill was her dearest friend 
and for several years she knew MoUie 
and Billy had been apparently devoted to 
each other. Yet she would have been 
almost sure to have guessed had their old 
affection developed into something deeper. 
Moreover, MoUie was only nineteen and 


TWO YEARS LATER 


11 


Mrs. Wharton would have insisted upon 
their waiting before agreeing to an engage- 
ment between them. 

^^Oh, I don’t think it worth while for 
you and MoUie to worry over Polly,” 
]\Ieg returned, even in the midst of her 
meditations, which is a fortunate faculty 
one has sometimes of being able to think 
of one thing and speak of another at the 
same instant. ^^Miss Adams is going 
away in a few days, I believe, and though 
she has invited Polly to be her guest and 
travel with her in Europe this summer, Mrs. 
Wharton has positively refused to agree 
to it. I can’t help being sorry for Polly, 
somehow, for think what it would mean 
to see Esther and Betty again! Two years 
has seemed a dreadfully long time to me 
without the Princess; I only wish that 
there was a chance for me to go abroad 
this summer.” 

And in the midst of her own wave of 
the spring Wanderlust,” which is aroused 
each year in the hearts of the young and 
the old alike, the girl had a moment of 
unconsciousness of her companion’s near- 
ness and of the manner in which he had 


12 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


received her news. The next instant he 
had lifted his hat and with a few mut- 
tered words of apology for his haste, had 
walked off with his shoulders squarcr 
than ever and his head more splendidly 
erect. 

Meg’s eyes followed him with admira- 
tion. hope you may look hke Billy 
Webster some day, Horace,” she said to 
the small boy at her side, who was now 
all long legs and arms and tousled hair. 
^^But I don’t know that I want you to 
be too much like him. Billy is the old- 
fashioned type of man, I think — ^honest 
and brave and kind. But he does not 
understand in the least that the world 
has changed for women and that some of 
us may not wish just to stay at home 
and get married and then keep on stay- 
ing at home forever afterwards.” And 
Meg laughed, feeling that her little brother 
was hardly old enough to understand her 
criticism or her protest. She herself hardly 
realized why she had made it, except that 
the spring restlessness must still be lin- 
gering within her. Meg was not usually a 
psychologist and there was no reason 


TWO YEARS LATER 


13 


doubt that MoUie would always continue a 
home-loving soul. 

On the broad stone steps of the Whar- 
ton home, which was the largest and finest 
in V/oodford, except the old Ashton place, 
Billy Webster was compelled to wait for 
several moments before the front door 
bell was answered. And then the maid 
insisted that the entire family had gone 
out. Mr. and Mrs. Wharton were both 
driving, MoUie was taking a walk with 
friends, and PoUy paying a visit. Sylvia 
was not living in Woodford at present, but 
true to her Camp Fire purpose was in Phil- 
adelphia studying to become a trained nurse. 

^^Do you mean that Miss PoUy gave 
you instructions to say she was not in?^^ 
the young man inquired, trying his best 
to betray no shadow of offended pride 
in his question. ^ because if she did 
not, I am siu*e that you must be mistaken. 
I saw her leave the place where she was 
calling some little time ago and ” 

But the maid was .crimsoning uncom- 
fortably, for at this moment there arose 
the sound of some one playing the piano 
in the music room near by. 


14 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


“No, sir,” the girl stammered, “no one 
asked to be excused. Miss Polly must 
have come in without my knowing.” And 
in her confusion the girl ushered the visitor 
into an almost dark room, without an- 
nouncing his name or even suggesting his 
approach. 

However, the recent visitor was so much 
in the habit of going frequently to the 
Wharton home that he did not feel in any 
sense a stranger there. Besides, had he 
not spied the familiar scarlet coat and 
hat on a chair outside the music room, 
where no one but Polly would have placed 
them? And was it not like her to be 
sitting in the semi-darkness with the shut- 
ters of four big windows tightly closed, 
playing pensively and none too well on 
the piano, when the rest of the world was 
out of doors? 

Billy felt a sudden and almost over- 
mastering desire to take the musician’s 
slender shoulders in his hands and give 
them a slight shake, as she continued 
sitting on the stool with her back delib- 
erately turned toward him. 

“I hope I am not disturbing you,” he 




16 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


began with a little laugh, which even to 
his own ears did not sound altogether 
natural. 

And then, when the girl had swung 
slowly around, he walked up toward her 
and leaning one elbow on the piano, with 
his eyes down, continued speaking, without 
giving his companion the opportunity even 
for greeting him. 

^^Polly,’^ he said, ^‘1 have just heard 
that Miss Adams has invited you to go 
abroad with her this summer and that 
your mother has refused to let you accept. 
But I cannot entirely beheve this last 
part of my news. I donT dare unless 
you tell me.” 

There was a slight sound from his lis- 
tener, an effort at interruption, but the 
young man went on without regarding it. 

did not mean to speak to you so 
soon. I know you are too young and 
I expected to wait another year. And 
certainly you have not given me much 
encouragement. Sometimes I have not 
felt that you liked me any better than 
when first we knew each other. But you 
canT have completely forgotten what I 


TWO YEARS LATER 


17 


said to you that day in the woods two 
years ago. And you know I never change 
my mind. Now I canT bear to have 
you go so far away from Woodford without 
saying again that I care for you, Polly, 
in spite of our sometimes disagreeing about 
things and that I will do my level best 
to make you happy if you, if you 

But the girl at the piano had risen 
and Billy now hfted his eager blue eyes 
to her face. Immediately his expression 
changed, the hot blood poured into his 
cheeks, and he moved forward a few steps. 
Then he stood still with his hands hanging 
limply at his sides. 

For the girl, whose pallor showed even 
in the semi-darkness of the room and 
whose lips trembled so that it was difScult 
for her to command her voice, was not 
Polly O^Neill! Although her hair was 
almost equally dark, her chin was less 
pointed, her lips less scarlet and her whole 
appearance gentler and more appealing. 

am sorry,’’ MoUie O’Neill faltered, “I 
did not understand wLen you began, Billy, 
or I should not have listened. But I didn’t 
dream that you and Polly — oh, I didn’t 


18 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


suppose that people could quarrel as you 
do and yet be fond of each other. And 
you were my friend, Billy, and Polly is 
my twin sister. I cannot understand why 
one of you did not tell me how you felt 
without waiting to have me find out like 
this.’’ And in spite of her struggle for 
self-control, there was a break in MoUie 
O’Neill’s soft voice that Billy would have 
given a great deal never to have heard, 
and a look on her face which, though he 
did not entirely understand, he was not 
soon to forget. She had put out one arm 
and stood steadying herself against the 
piano stool like a child who had been un- 
expectedly hurt and frightened and who 
wished to run away, yet felt that if she 
lingered a little longer she might better 
understand the puzzle. 

Nevertheless Billy said nothing for a 
moment. He was too angry with him- 
self, too worried over the surprise and 
sorrow in MoUie’s eyes, to speak. For 
they were deeply attached to each other 
and nothing had come between their friend- 
ship since the morning, now almost five 
years ago, when she had cleverly bandaged 


TWO YEARS LATER 


19 


up the wound in his head. They had been 
foolish children then, but so long an inti- 
macy should surely have taught him by 
this time the difference between the twin 
sisters. If only the room had not been so 
dark when he came in, if only he had not 
been deceived by the crimson coat and 
cap and by his own excitement! 

“There was nothing to tell you before, 
Molhe, at least nothing that counts,^’ Billy 
began humbly. “ Sometimes I have wanted 
to explain to you my feehng for PoUy. 
We do quarrel and she makes me angrier 
than anyone I know in the world, and 
yet somehow I canT forget her. And I 
hke being with her always, even when 
she i^ in a bad temper. Then I donT 
wish her to go on the stage. I think it 
a horrid profession, and Polly is not 
strong enough. I would do anything 
that I could to prevent it. But you see, 
MoUie, I have no reason to believe that 
Polly cares for me; though now and then 
she has seemed to hke me better than 
she once did. Still I am determined to 
try whatever means I can to keep her 
away from this Miss Adams’ influence* 


20 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


For if once Polly leaves Woodford with her, 
the old Polly whom we both know and 
love wdll never come back to us again/' 
And Billy appeared so disconsolate and 
so unlike his usual confident, masterful 
self, that MoUie smiled at him, a little 
wistfully it is true, but in a perfectly 
friendly and forgiving fashion. 

go and find whether Polly has come 
home," she answered. “I ran in for a 
moment to call on Miss Adams and found 
that Polly had left there half an hour 
before. I wore her old coat and cap, so 
I think she must be dressed in her best 
clothes and paying visits somewhere." And 
MoUie laid a hand Ughtly on her friend's 
arm. 

Don't be discouraged at whatever 
PoUy sayS' to you," she begged. ^^You 
know that she may be angry at the idea 
of your opposing her having this Euro- 
pean trip with Miss Adams. But she is 
not going. Mother is positive and Polly 
wiU not do more than ask for permission 
since there is a whole year more before 
ber promise ends." 

And MoUie sUpped quietly away, grate- 


TWO YEARS LATER 


21 


ful for the darkness and her old friend^s 
absorption. 

In the haU, a few feet from the music 
room door, she encountered Polly herself, 
with her eyes shining and her face aglow 
with the beauty and fragrance of the 
April afternoon. And before she could 
slip past her PoUy^s arms were about 
her, holding her fast, while she demanded, 
Whatever has happened to make you 
so white and miserable, MoUie Mavour-^ 
neen? Are you iU? If anyone has been 
unkind to you 

But MoUie could only shake her head. 
^'DonT be absurd; there is nothing the 
matter. BiUy Webster is here waiting 
to see you.’^ 

Nevertheless, a moment afterwards, when 
PoUy had marched into the music room 
and opened wide a shutter, her first words 
as she turned toward her visitor were, 
Billy Webster, what in the world have 
you said or done to make MoUie so un- 
happy?'’ 


CHAPTER II 


The Wheel Revolves 

I T was midnight, yet Polly O^Neill had 
not gotten into bed. 

Instead she sat before a tiny, dying 
hre in her own bedroom with her hands 
clasped about her knees and her black 
hair hanging gypsy-fashion over her crim- 
son dressing gown. MoUie had gone to 
her own room several hours before. In a 
moment there was a light knock at the 
door and Polly had scarcely turned her 
head when her mother stood beside her. 

Mrs. Wharton looked younger than she 
had several years before, absurdly young 
to be the mother of two almost grown- 
up daughters! Her face had lost the 
fatigue and strain of another spring eve- 
ning, when Betty Ashton had first hurried 
across the street to confide the dream of 
her Camp Fire club to her dearest friends. 
Of course her hair was grayer and she 
was a good deal less thin. Notwithstand- 
( 22 ) 


THE WHEEL REVOLVES 23 


ing her eyes held the same soft light of un- 
derstanding that was so curiously combined 
with quiet firnmess. 

^^Why aren^t you in bed, Polly mine?^^ 
she asked. saw that the gas was shin- 
ing or I should never have disturbed you.’^ 

In answer Polly without rising pushed 
a low rocking chair toward her mother. 

wasn^t sleepy. Is that the same reason 
that keeps you awake, Mrs. Wharton?’^ 
she queried. 

In all their lives together Polly O^Neill 
and her mother had always held a dif- 
ferent relation toward each other than 
ordinarily exists between liiost mothers 
and daughters. In the first place Mrs. 
Wharton was so very little older than 
her children that in the days in the cot- 
tage when they had lived and worked for 
one another, they had seemed more like 
three devoted and intimate friends. Of 
course the two girls had always under- 
stood that when a serious question was to 
be decided their mother remained the 
court of the last decision. However, in 
those years few serious questions had ever 
arisen beyond the finding of sufficient 


24 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


money for their food and clothes and 
occasional good times. So that there 
had been nothing to disturb the perfec- 
tion of their attitude toward one another 
until Mrs. O’Neill’s marriage to her former 
employer, Mr. Wharton. And then there 
is no doubt that Polly for a time had been 
difficult. Naturally she was glad for her 
mother’s sake that she had the new love 
and wealth and position; nevertheless she 
was homesick for their old life and its 
intimacy and in her heart hah sorry that 
her own dream of some day bringing for- 
tune and ease to her mother and MoUie 
was now of so little account. And then 
all too soon, before matters had really 
become adjusted between the two families, 
had followed her own act of insurbordi- 
nation and deception and her mother’s 
mandate. 

Of course Polly had bowed before it 
and had even understood that it was 
both right and just. She had been happy 
enough in these last two years, in spite 
of missing Betty Ashton almost every 
hour, and had come to like and admire 
her stepfather immensely. Nevertheless 


THE WHEEL REVOLVES 25 


there had remained a slight shadow be- 
tween herseK and her mother, a mis- 
apprehension so intangible that Polly 
herself did not realize it, although Mrs. 
Wharton did. 

suppose you are not sleepy, dear, 
because you are sitting here thinking that 
never in the whole world was there ever 
a mother so narrow and so dictatorial as 
I am,’’ Mrs. Wharton began. ‘^Oh, I 
have been in bed, but I have been lying 
awake for the past hour looking at myself 
with Polly’s eyes.” 

Polly frowned, shaking her head, yet 
her mother went on without appearing to 
notice her. 

^‘1 wonder if you think that I have 
no realization of the wonderful opportun- 
ity I have just made you refuse. Do you 
think, Polly, that I don’t appreciate what 
it must mean to a girl like you to have 
made a friend of a great woman like 
Margaret Adams? And to have her so 
desire your companionship that she has 
asked you to be her guest during her 
summer abroad? Why such a chance 
does not come to one girl in a hundred 


26 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


thousand and yet I have made you give 
it up!^’ 

With a little protesting gesture Polly 
stretched out her hand. “Then let us 
not discuss it any further, mother of 
mine,’' she demanded. “I promised you 
not to speak of it again after our talk 
the other day and I am going to exact 
the same promise of you.” 

The girl shut her hps together in a tight 
line of scarlet and all unconsciously began 
rocking herseK slowly backward and for- 
ward with her expression turned inside 
instead of out, as her sister MoUie used 
sometimes to say. But Mrs. Wharton 
leaned over, and putting her finger imder 
Polly’s chin tilted it back until her eyes 
were upturned toward hers. 

“But was I fair to you, dear? Have 
I decided what was best for you, as well 
as for MoUie and me? We have not 
spoken of it; we have both felt that 
silence was the wisest course; but tonight 
I should like to know whether, when the 
three years of your promise to me have 
passed, do you stiU intend going upon the 
stage?” Mrs. Wharton asked. 


THE WHEEL REVOLVES 27 


Would you mind so very, very much?^^ 
Polly inquired quietly. And then with a 
sudden rush of confidence, which she had 
never before shown in any of their talks 
together on this subject, PoUy faced their 
old difference of opinion squarely. ‘Tt 
has always been hard for me to under- 
stand, mother, why you are so opposed 
to my trying to become an actress. You 
are broad-minded enough on other subjects. 
You have worked for your own living and 
ours; and you were willing enough to 
have Sylvia, who is younger than I am 
and who will be very rich some day, go 
away and study to become a trained 
nurse, just because she believed it her 
calling. Yet because I want to learn 
to act, why the whole stage and every- 
thing connected with it is anathema. You 
do not even like Miss Margaret Adams as 
much as you would if she were in some 
other kind of work. Oh, of course I 
appreciate that people used to feel that 
no woman could be good and be on the 
stage, but no sensible person thinks that 
nowadays.^^ Polly stopped abruptly. ^Tdon^t 
mean to be rude, mother,’^ she concluded. 


28 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


But Mrs. Wharton nodded. ^‘Please 
go on. I came in tonight to find out 
just what you were thinking. I don^t 
believe you realize how little you have 
explained your real feeling to me on this 
subject since that unfortunate time in New 
York.^^ 

didn^t want to trouble you” again 
Polly hesitated. “It is hardly worth while 
doing it now. Because honestly I have 
not made up my mind just how to answer 
the question that you asked me a few 
minutes ago. Whether at the end of 
another year, when you have agreed to 
let me do as I like, I shall stiU insist upon 
going upon the stage, knowing that you 
and MoUie are at heart unwilling to have 
me, I canT tell. Perhaps I shall give up 
and stay on here at Woodford and maybe 
marry some one I donT care about and 
then be sorry ever afterwards.’^ 

Instead of replying Mrs. Wharton got 
up and walked several times backwards 
and forwards across the length of the 
room, not glancing toward the girl who 
still sat before the fire with her hands 
clasped tightly over her knees. But Polly 


THE WHEEL REVOLVES 29 


had small doubt where her mother^s 
thoughts were. And a few moments after- 
wards she too rose and the next instant 
pulled her mother down on a cushion be- 
fore the fire, and resting close beside her put 
her head on her shoulder. 

^^Dear, you were mistaken when you 
came in and found me awake,” Polly 
explained, '^in supposing that I was think- 
ing of my own disappointment in not 
being allowed to make the journey with 
Miss Adams or feeling hurt or angry 
with you because you decided against it. 
Really, I never dreamed in the first place 
that you would be willing. Still, I was 
thinking of asking you to let me break 
my word to you after all! You said that 
I was to stay here in Woodford for three 
years, and yet I want you to let me go 
away somewhere very soon. I don^t care 
where, any place will do.” 

Now for the first time since the begin- 
ning of their conversation Mrs. Wharton 
appeared mystified and deeply hurt. 

^^Is your own home so disagreeable to 
you, Polly, that you would rather go 
anywhere than stay with us?” she queried. 


30 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


And then to her further surprise, turning 
she discovered that tears were standing 
unshed in Polly’s eyes and that her hps 
were trembling. 

don’t know how to tell you, mother. 
It is all so mixed up and so uncertain 
in my own mind and so foohsh. But I 
wonder if you have ever thought that 
Mollie liked BiUy Webster better than our 
other friends?” 

Mollie?” Mrs. Wharton could hardly 
summon her thoughts back from the sub- 
ject which had lately absorbed them, to 
follow what she believed a quickly chang- 
ing idea of Polly’s. “Why, yes, I think 
I have,” she answered slowly. “But I 
have never let the supposition trouble me. 
Mollie is so young and her deepest affec- 
tions are for you and me. Besides, Billy 
is a fine feUow and perhaps when the 
time comes I shall not be quite so selfish 
with her.” 

But PoUy’s cheeks were so crimson 
that she had to put up her cold hands 
to try and cool them. 

“And you have always believed that 
Billy almost hated me, haven’t you?” 


THE WHEEL REVOLVES 31 


Mrs. Wharton laughed. ^^Well, I have 
never thought a great deal about it, except 
that you argued a great deal about noth- 
ing and that each one of you was deter- 
mined to influence the other without pro- 
ducing the smallest result.^^ 

'^Yes, mother, and that is what makes 
what I want to tell you so horrid and 
silly,^^ Polly went on, intentionally making 
a screen for her face with her dark hair. 

Because Billy Webster has a perfectly 
absurd idea that he cares for me, simply 
because he wishes to manage me. And — 
and he was tiresome enough to tell me 
so this afternoon.” 

Surprise and consternation for the mo- 
ment kept Mrs. Wharton silent. “But you, 
Polly?” she managed to inquire finally. 
“How do you feel? What did you answer 
him?” 

Then for an instant the girFs former 
expression changed and the old Irish con- 
trariness of spirit hovered in a half smile 
about her lips. 

“Oh, I told him that I did not like 
him any better than I had in the begin- 
ning of our acquaintance and that I had 


32 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


only been nicer to him now and then 
lately because he was your friend and 
Mollie's. And no matter what happened 
to me, if I never, never stirred a foot out 
of Woodford, I should never dream of 
marrying him even when I am a hundred 
years old/^ 

A sigh of some kind escaped Mrs. Whar- 
ton, partly of rehef and partly of an- 
noyance. 

^^Then why should you wish to go 
away, dear?’’ she queried. “If you said 
all that, surely BiUy will never trouble 
you again!” 

A characteristic shrug was Polly’s first 
answer. “Oh, BiUy only cares about me 
because he can’t have me,” she replied 
the next minute. “But he insists that he 
will go on trying to win me imtil dooms- 
day. StiU it isn’t either about Billy or 
about me that I am thinking at present. 
Can’t you understand, mother, without 
my having to explain? It is so hard to 
say. It’s MoUie! Not for anything in 
the world would I have her feehngs hurt 
or have her think that I had come be- 
tween her and her friendship for BiUy.” 


THE WHEEL REVOLVES 33 


But Mrs. Wharton’s manner was im- 
mediately quiet and reassuring. ^^MoUie 
would never think anything unfair of you, 
Polly. And perhaps it will be better for 
you to speak of this to her. If MoUie 
has had any false impression, if her feel- 
ing for BiUy has been anything but simple 
friendhness, now it will not be difficult for 
her to adjust herself. When later — ” 
However, Mrs. Wharton was not able to 
finish her sentence, for Polly had mur- 
mured, ^^She does know. Of course she 
has not said anything to me and I never 
want to have to refer to it to her. But 
you need not trouble. Billy was so 
stupid.” Here Polly gave an irrepressible 
giggle. ^^He proposed to both of us this 
afternoon. And I think he was much 
more worried over Mollie’s teUing him 
that she should have been taken into his 
confidence sooner, than he was over my 
refusal.” 

The clock on Polly’s mantel shelf was 
striking one long stroke. Hearing it Mrs. 
Wharton rose to leave the room, first 
pulling Polly up beside her. The girl 
was several inches taller than her mother. 


3 


34 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


Polly dear/^ she said, ^^so far as MoUie 
is concerned I donT agree with the wis- 
dom of your going away from home. 
But I want you to understand something 
else, something that I have never properly 
explained to you. It is not just narrow- 
ness or prejudice, this opposition of mine 
to your going upon the stage. You re- 
member, dear, why your father left Ire- 
land and came here to live in these New 
Hampshire hills. And you know you are 
not so strong as MoUie, and I used to be 
afraid that you had less judgment. Re- 
cently, however, you have seemed stronger 
and more poised. And I had almost de- 
cided before I came in to you tonight, 
that if in another year you are still sure 
that you wish to make the stage your 
profession, I shaU not stand in the way 
of your giving it a fair trial. You don’t 
know, but in your father’s family not so 
many years ago there was a great actress. 
She ran away from home and her people 
never forgave her. I don’t even know 
what became of her. Nothing like that 
must ever happen between you and me.” 
Mrs. Wharton kissed PoUy good night. 


THE WHEEL REVOLVES 35 


^^Have faith in me, dear, for I have under- 
stood the ambition and the heart-burning 
you have suffered better than you dreamed. 
I shall go to see Miss Adams again to- 
morrow. If you must try your wings 
some day, perhaps there could be no better 
beginning than that you should learn to 
know intimately one woman who has 
fought through most of the difficulties 
of one of the hardest professions in the 
world and has earned for herself the right 
kind of fame and fortune.^’ 


CHAPTER III 


Farewells 

P OLLY O^NEILL was entertaining at 
a farewell reception. April had 
passed away and May and it was 
now the first week in June. In a few 
days more she would be sailing for South- 
ampton with Miss Margaret Adams to 
be gone all summer. The party was not 
a large one, for PoUy had preferred having 
only her most intimate friends together 
this afternoon. 

So of course the old members of the 
Sunrise HiU Camp Fire Club were there 
and a few outside people, besides the 
group of young men who had always 
shared their good times. 

Moreover, the past two years had given 
the old Camp Fire Club an entirely new 
distinction, since one of its girl mem- 
bers had recently married. 

At this moment she was approaching 
Polly O^Neill, and PoUy held out both 

( 36 ) 


FAREWELLS 


37 


hands in welcome, as she had not seen 
the newcomer since the return from her 
wedding journey. Edith Norton it was, 
who was dressed, as she had always hoped 
to be, in a costume that neither Betty 
nor Rose Dyer could have improved upon, 
a soft blue crepe with a hat of the same 
color and a long feather curling about 
its brim. For Edith had confessed her 
fault to her employer soon after her diffi- 
culty in the last story and had been for- 
given. And, as a good-by present to 
Betty Ashton, she had promised never 
to have anything more to do with the 
young man of whom her Camp Fire 
friends had disapproved. The result was 
that she had married one of the leading 
dry goods merchants in Woodford, and 
hard times and Edith were through with 
each other forever. 

Now her cheeks were flushed with happi- 
ness instead of the color that she had 
used in the days before her membership 
in the Camp Fire Club, and her pretty 
light hair made a kind of halo about her 
face. 

“Apoi-a-kimi,’^ Polly smiled at her guest, 


38 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


“you have not forgotten our Indian name 
for you, have you, Mrs. Keating, now 
that you are the first of us to acquire an 
altogether new name?’^ 

Edith shook her head with perhaps 
more feeling than she might have been 
expected to show and at the same time 
touching an enameled pin which she wore 
fastened on her dress she said: “I am a 
Camp Fire girl once and forever, no matter 
how old I may become! And I never 
needed or understood the value of our 
experiences together so much as I do now. 
Tell Betty for me, please, that I some- 
times think it is to our Camp Fire Club 
that I owe even my husband. He could 
not possibly have Uked me had he known 
me before those good old times. So since 
Betty brought me into the club and has 

stood by me always ” 

With a smile Polly now made a pre- 
tense of putting her fingers to her ears; 
nevertheless she glanced around with a 
kind of challenging amusement at the 
half a dozen or more friends who were 
standing near, as she interrupted her 
visitor. 


FAREWELLS 


39 


''Betty! Betty 1^’ she exclaimed. "I 
have been wondering the greater part 
of this afternoon whether this is a fare- 
well party to me or an opportunity to 
send messages to Betty Ashton.’^ Pur- 
posely Polly waited until she was able 
to catch John EveretPs eye, for he stood 
talking to Eleanor Meade only a few feet 
away. John pretended not to have heard 
her. He had only returned to Woodford 
for the week in order to see his father 
and sister, for he had graduated at Dart- 
mouth some time before and was now in 
a broker^s office in New York City. And 
already he was under the impression that 
he had attained the distinction of a Nev/ 
York millionaire and that his presence 
in Woodford was a unique experience fcr 
his former village acquaintances. So he 
was now being extremely kind to his 
sister Meg^s old friends, although it was, 
of course, absurd for any one to presume 
that he had more than a passing, pleasant 
recollection of any girl whom he had ever 
known in Woodford. 

All this that he was thinking Polly 
appreciated when she had watched the 


40 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


young man^s face for less than half a 
moment. And as she had a reprehensible 
fondness for getting even with persons, she 
then registered a private vow to let Betty 
hear just how much John Everett had 
changed. 

However, she had but scant time to 
devote to this resolution, for almost at 
the same instant another young man, 
excusing himself from his sister, walked 
toward her with an expression which was 
rarely anything except grave and reserved. 

Polly spoke to him with especial pleas- 
ure. For the past two years had changed 
not only her attitude toward Anthony 
Graham, but that of a good many other 
persons in Woodford. 

Two years can be made to eount for 
a great deal at certain times in one^s life 
and Anthony had made the past two do 
for him the work of four. He was no 
longer an office boy and student in Judge 
Maynard^s office, for he had graduated 
at law and was now helping the old man 
with the simpler part of his practice. 
And because Judge Maynard was seventy 
and childless he had taken a liking to 


FAREWELLS 


41 


Anthony and had asked him to live in 
his home, for the sake of both his pro- 
tection and his society. And this perhaps 
was a forward step for the young fellow 
which the people in the village appre- 
ciated even more than the boy^s own 
efforts at self-improvement; for Judge 
Maynard was eccentric and wealthy and 
no one could foretell what might happen 
in the future. 

Edith had moved away to make room 
for the newcomer, so that Polly and her 
guest stood apart from the others. 

Anthony was as lean as ever, although 
it was the leanness of muscular strength, 
not weakness ; his skin was dark and 
clear and his hazel eyes gazed at one 
frankly, almost too' directly. One had 
the sensation that it might be difficult 
to conceal from him anything that he 
really wished to know. 

^^Miss PoUy,^^ he began rather humbly, 
wonder if you would be wilhng to do 
a favor for me?” He smiled, so that the 
lines about his mouth became less grave. 
'^Oh, I have not forgotten that you did 
not altogether approve of Miss Betty’s 


42 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


friendship for me when I came back to 
Woodford, and I do not blame you” 

^Ht was not Betty’s friendliness for 
you that I minded,” Polly returned with 
a directness that was very often discon- 
certing. 

The young man reddened and then 
laughed outright. thought it better 

to put it that way, but if you must have 
the truth, of course I know it was my 
liking for her to which you objected. 
But look here, Miss Polly, no one knew 
of my admiration except you. So I suppose 
you know also that every once in a while 
in these past two years Miss Betty has 
written me a letter — perhaps half a dozen 
in all. So now I want you to take her 
something from me. It does not amount 
to much, it is only a tiny package that 
won’t require a great deal of room in your 
trunk. Still I have not the courage to 
send it her directly and yet I want her 
to know that I have never forgotten that 
what she did for me gave me my first 
start. I have improved a little in these 
past two years, don’t you think? Am I 
quite so impossible as I used to be?” 


FAREWELLS 


43 


Polly frowned in reply; but she reached 
forward for the small parcel that Anthony 
was extending toward her. 

^^Look here, Anthony,” she protested, 
^^for goodness sake don^t make a moun- 
tain out of a molehill, as the old saying 
goes. Betty Ashton did not do anything 
more for you than she has done for dozens 
of other persons when she could afford 
it, not half as much. So please cease 
feehng any kind of obligation to her; she 
would hate it. And don^t have any other 
feeling either. Goodness only knows how 
these past two years in foreign lands may 
have altered the Princess! Very probably 
she will even refuse to have anything to 
do with me, if ever Miss Adams and I 
do manage to arrive in Germany.” 

Polly ended her speech in this fashion 
with the intention of making it seem a 
trifle less impertinent. However, Anthony 
appeared not to have understood her. 
Nevertheless, having been trained in a 
difficult school in life perhaps he had the 
ability for not revealing his emotions on 
all occasions. 

For Herr Crippen and Mrs. Crippen, 


44 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


Betty’s father and stepmother, were at 
this moment trying to shake hands with 
him. Herr Crippen looked much more 
prosperous and happy since his marriage 
to the girls’ first Camp Fire Guardian. 
He had now almost as many music pupils 
in Woodford as he had time to teach, 
while Miss McMurtry had lost every single 
angular curve that had once been sup- 
posed by the girls to proclaim her an old 
maid for life and as Mrs. Crippen was 
growing almost as stout and housewifely 
as a real German Frau. 

In the interval after Anthony’s deser- 
tion, as Mrs. and the Herr Professor had 
already spent some time in talking with 
her, Polly found herseK alone. 

She was a httle tired and so glanced 
about her for a chair. Her mother and 
Mollie were both in the dining room as 
well as Sylvia, who had come home for 
a week to say farewell to her beloved 
step-sister. But before Polly could locate 
a chair for herself, she observed that 
two were being pushed toward her from 
opposite sides of the room. Therefore 
she waited, smiling, to find out which 


FAREWELLS 


45 


should arrive first. Then she sank down 
into the one that John Everett presented 
her, thanking Billy Webster for his, which 
had arrived a second too late. 

Excitement always added to Polly O’NeiU^s 
beauty, and so this afternoon she was look- 
ing unusually pretty. As it was the month 
of June she wore a white organdie dress 
with a bunch of red roses pinned at her 
belt and one caught in the coiled braids of 
her dark hair. 

She had been perfectly friendly with 
Billy, even more so than usual, since their 
April talk. For having her own way 
made Polly delightfully amiable to the 
whole world. Billy, however, had not 
responded to her friendliness. He was 
still deeply opposed to her going away 
vdth Miss Adams. And though he was 
doggedly determined to have his own 
will in the end, he seemed to have lost 
all his former interest and pleasure in 
being often at the Wharton home. For 
not only was Polly in what he considered 
a seventh heaven of selfish happiness at 
her mother^s change of mind, but Mollie 
no longer treated him with her former 


46 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


intimacy. She was friendly and sweet- 
tempered, of course, but she never asked 
his advice about things as she once 
had, nor seemed to care to give him 
a great amount of her time. Instead 
she appeared to be as fond of Frank 
Wharton and as dependent upon him as 
though he had been in reality her own 
brother. And Frank having recently re- 
turned to Woodford to live, had gone into 
business with his father. Truly BiUy felt 
that he had not deserved the situation 
in which he now found himself. Of course 
one might have expected anything from 
so uncertain a quantity as Polly, but to 
Mollie he had been truly attached and 
she had been to him like a httle sister. 
So it was difficult to comprehend what 
had now come between them. 

Billy had no special fancy for playing 
third person and remaining to talk to 
PoUy and John Everett, so considering 
that both his chair and his presence were 
unnecessary, he moved off in the direction 
of the dining room. 

Polly smiled up at her latest companion 
with two points of rather dangerous light 


FAREWELLS 


47 


at the back of her Irish blue eyes. Then 
she let her glance travel slowly from the 
tips of John Everett^s patent leather shoes, 
along the immaculate expanse of his frock 
coat and fluted shirt, until Anally it reached 
the crown of his well-brushed golden brown 
hair. 

“It must be a wonderful feeling, John, 
to be so kind of — glorious!” Polly ex- 
claimed, in a perfectly serious manner. 

“Glorious,” John frowned; “what do 
you mean?” He was an intelligent, capa- 
ble fellow, but not especially quick. 

“Oh, don’t you feel that you are giving 
poor little Woodford a treat every now and 
then by allowing it the chance of behold- 
ing so perfect an imitation of a gentle- 
man. I don’t mean imitation, John, that 
does not sound polite of me. Of course 
I mean so perfect a picture. I have been 
feasting my eyes on you whenever I have 
had the opportunity all afternoon. For 
I want to tell Betty Ashton when I see 
her who is the most distinguished-looking 
person among us. And of course ” 

John flushed, though he laughed good- 
naturedly. “What a horrid disposition 


48 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


you still have, Polly O’Neill. One would 
think that you were now old enough to 
make yourself agreeable to your superiors.” 
He stooped, for whether by accident or 
design, the girl had dropped a small paste- 
board box on the floor. 

^^This is something or other that 
Anthony Graham is sending over to Betty 
Ashton,” Polly explained with pretended 
carelessness. suppose you can remem- 
ber Betty?” 

But John Everett was at the present 
moment engaged in extracting a small pin 
from the lapel of his coat. Don’t be 
ridiculous, Polly, and don’t impart your 
impressions of me to Betty, if you please. 
Just ask her if she will be good enough to 
accept this fraternity pin of mine in remem- 
brance of old times.” 


CHAPTER IV 


Unter den Linden 
TALL girl with red hair and a 



fair skin, carrying a roll of music, 


was walking alone down the princi- 
pal street in Berlin. She did not look hke 
a foreigner and yet she must have been 
famihar with the sights of the city. For 
although the famous thoroughfare was 
crowded with people, some of them on 
foot, the greater number in carriages and 
automobiles, she paid them only a casual 
attention and finally found herself a seat 
on a bench under a tall linden tree near 
the monument of Frederick the Great. 
Here she sighed, allowing the discourage- 
ment which she had been trying to over- 
come for some little time to show in every 
fine of her face and figure. 

She was not handsome enough to attract 
attention for that reason, and she had 
too much personal dignity to suffer it 
under any circumstances. So now she 


4 


( 49 ) 


50 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


seemed as much alone as if she had been 
in her own sitting room. 

Only once was she startled out of the 
absorption of her own thoughts. And 
then there was a sudden noise near the 
palace of the Emperor; carriages and 
motor cars paused, crowding closer to the 
sidewalks; soldiers stood at attention, civil- 
ians lifted their hats. And a moment 
afterwards an automobile dashed past with 
a man on the back seat in a close fitting, 
military suit, with a light cape thrown 
back over one shoulder, his head slightly 
bowed and his arms folded across his 
chest. He had an iron-gray mustache, 
waxed until the ends stood out fiercely, 
dark, haughty eyes, and an intensely ner- 
vous manner. And on the doors of his 
swiftly moving car were the Imperial Arms 
of Germany. 

The girl felt a curious little thrill of 
admiration and antagonism. For although 
she had seen him more than a dozen 
times before, the Kaiser Wilhelm could 
hardly pass so near to one without mak- 
ing an impression. And although the 
American girl was not in sympathy with 


UNTER DEN LINDEN 


51 


many of his views, she could not escape 
the interest which his personality has 
excited throughout the civilized world. 

But a moment after the street grew 
quiet once more and she returned to her 
own reflections. 

In spite of her pallor she did not seem 
in the least unhealthy, only tired and 
down-hearted. For her eyes, though light 
in color, were clear and bright, and the 
hps of her large, firmly modeled mouth 
bright red. She wore a handsome and 
becoming gray cloth dress and a soft 
white blouse, her gray hat having a white 
feather stuck through a band of folded 
silk. The coolness and simplicity of her 
toilet was refreshing in the warmth of the 
late June day and a pleasant contrast 
to the brighter colors affected by the 
German Frauen and Fraulein. 

Finally the girl opened her roll of music 
and taking out a sheet began slowly read- 
ing it over to herself. Then her dejection 
appeared to deepen, for eventually the 
tears rolled down her cheeks. She con- 
tinued holding up her music in order to 
shield herself from observation. Even 


62 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


when she was disturbed by hearing some 
one sit down beside her on the bench, 
she did not dare turn her head. 

But the figure deliberately moved closer 
and before she could protest had actually 
taken the sheet of paper out of her hands. 

“Esther, my dear, what is the matter 
with you? Have you no home and no 
friends, that you have to shed your tears 
in the public streets?^’ a slightly amused 
though sympathetic voice demanded. 

Naturally Esther started. But the next 
instant she was shaking her head re- 
proachfully. “Dr. Ashton, however in 
the world did you manage to discover 
me?^’ she demanded. “I am resting here 
for the special pleasure of being miserable 
all by myself. For I knew if I went back 
to the pension Betty and your mother 
would find me out. And the worst of 
it is that neither one of them understands 
in the least why I am unhappy. Betty is 
really angry and I am afraid that Mrs. 
Ashton thinks I am stupid and ungrateful.’^ 

Instead of replying, Richard Ashton 
picked up Esther’s hand and slipped it 
through his own arm. He looked a good 


UNTER DEN LINDEN 


53 


deal older than his companion. For he 
was now a graduated physician with three 
years of added foreign experience, and 
besides his natural seriousness he wore 
the reserved, thoughtful air peculiar to 
his profession. So his present attitude 
toward Esther Crippen seemed that of 
an older friend. 

don’t know what you are talking 
about or what dark secret you seem to 
be trying to conceal,” he returned. 
that I do know is that I have been sent 
out to find you and that you are please 
to come home with me. Betty and mother 
have been expecting you to return from 
your music lesson for an hour. And Betty 
is so in the habit of getting herseK lost 
or of mixing up in some adventure where 
she does not belong, that she is convinced 
a like fate has overtaken you. Then I 
believe that something or other has hap- 
pened which she has not confided to me, 
but which she is dying to teU you. There 
are times, Esther, when I wish that our 
sister, Betty, was not quite so pretty. I 
am always afraid that some day or other 
these Grerman students, whom she seems 


54 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


to have for her friends, will be involved in 
a duel over her. And if that happens I 
shall very promptly send her home.^^ 

Dick and Esther had now left the broad, 
park-like square and had turned into a 
narrower side street adjoining it. Ordi- 
narily any such suggestion concerning 
Betty would have aroused Esther^s im- 
mediate interest and protest. However, 
whatever was now on her mind was 
troubling her too much for her to pay 
any real attention to what Dick had just 
said. So they walked on for another 
block in silence, until finally Esther spoke 
in her old timid, hesitating manner, quite 
unconsciously locking her hands together, 
as she had on that day, long ago, of her 
first meeting wdth Richard Ashton. 

‘‘I am sorry to be so stupid and unen- 
tertaining. It was good of you to come 
and look for me,^’ she began apologetically. 
“ I wish I could stop thinking of what 
troubles me, but somehow I canT. For 
Betty win insist on my doing a thing that 
I simply know I shall not be able to do. 
And I do hate having to argue. 

They were still some distance from the 


UNTER DEN LINDEN 


55 


German pension where Dick, his mother 
and sister and Esther were boarding, so 
the young man did not make haste to 
continue their conversation, as he and 
Esther knew each other too intimately 
to consider silences. 

^^Look here, Esther,” Richard Ashton 
finally began, '^you know that Betty con- 
siders me the worst old gray-beard and 
lecturer on earth. So I am going to be 
true to my reputation and lecture you. 
Why do you allow yourself to be so much 
influenced by Betty? Don’t you realize 
every now and then that you are the 
older and that the Princess ought to come 
around to your way of thinking? Why 
don’t you tell her this time that you are 
right and she is wrong and that you won’t 
hear anything more on the subject that is 
worrying you.” 

Esther laughed, swerving suddenly to 
get a swift view of the earnest face of her 
companion. How often he had befriended 
her, ever since those first days of shy 
misery and rapture when she had made 
her original appearance in the Ashton 
home, little realizing then that the Betty 


56 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


whom she already adored was her own 
sister. 

^‘1 am not really afraid of the Princess, 
you know, Mr. Dick,^^ she replied, laugh- 
ing and using an odd, old-fashioned title 
that she had once given him. ^^The 
truth is that If you were able to guess 
what I have on my mind you might also 
disagree with me. Because in this par- 
ticular instance there is a possibility that 
Betty may be right in her judgment and 
I in the wrong. 

They had walked by this time a httle 
distance beyond the crowded portion of 
the big city. Now the houses were pri- 
vate residences and boarding places. 
Finally they stopped before a tall yellow 
building, five stories in height, with red 
and yellow flowers growing in a narrow 
strip along its front. Before an open 
window on the third floor a girl could be 
seen sitting with a book in her lap. But 
she must have become at once aware of 
the presence of the young man and his 
companion, because the instant that Dr. 
Ashton’s hand touched the door knob, 
she disappeared. 


CHAPTER V 


Changes 

D ick ASHTON^S laughing wish 
that his sister Betty were a little 
less pretty was not so unreason- 
able as you might suppose, had you seen 
her on this particular late June afternoon 
as she ran down the narrow, ugly hall 
of the German pennon to greet her brother 
and sister. 

She had on a pale blue muslin dress 
open at the throat with a tiny frill of 
lace. Her red bronze hair had coppery 
tones in it as well as pure gold and was 
parted a httle on one side and coiled up 
in the simplest fashion at the back of 
her head. The darkness of her lashes 
and the dehcate lines of her brows gave 
the gray of her eyes a peculiar luster hke 
the shine on old silk. And this afternoon 
her cheeks were the deep rose color that 
often accompanies this especial coloring. 
She put one arm around Esther, drawing 

(57) 


58 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


her into their sitting room, while Dick 
followed them. It was an odd room, 
a curious mixture of German and Amer- 
ican taste and yet not unattractive. The 
ceihng was high, the furniture heavy and 
dark, and the walls covered with a flow- 
ered yellow paper. But the two girls 
had removed the paintings of unnatural 
flowers and fruits that once decorated 
them, and instead had hung up framed 
photographs of the famous pictures that 
had most pleased them in their visits to 
different art galleries. There was Franz 
Hals^ Smiling Cavalier” gazing down at 
them with irresistible camaraderie in his 
eyes which followed you with their smile 
no matter in what portion of the room 
you chanced to be. On an opposite 
wall hung a Rembrandt painting of an 
old woman, and further along the magi- 
cal Mona Lisa.” In all the history 
of art there is no more fascinating story 
than that relating to this great picture 
by Leonardo da Vinci. For the woman 
who was the original of the picture was 
a great Italian princess whom many peo- 
ple adored because of her strange beauty. 


CHANGES 


59 


She had scores of lovers of noble blood 
and lowly, but no one is supposed to have 
understood the secret of her inscrutable 
smile, not even the artist who painted it. 
This picture was first the property of 
Italy and then carried away to hang for 
many years in the most celebrated room 
in the great gallery of the Louvre in 
Paris. From there it was stolen by an 
Italian workman, taken back into Italy 
and later restored to the French Govern- 
ment. But before Mona Lisa^s return 
to her niche in the Louvre she made a 
kind of triumphal progress through the 
great cities of her former home, Rome, 
Florence and Venice. And in each place 
men, women and little children came flock- 
ing in thousands to pay their tribute to 
beauty. And so for those of us who 
think of beauty as a passing, an ephemeral 
thing, there is this lesson of its universal, 
its eternal quality. For the smile of one 
woman, dead these hundreds of years, 
yet fixed by genius on a square of can- 
vas, can still stir the pulses of the world. 

Betty happened to be standing under 
this picture as she helped Esther remove 


60 


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her coat and hat. And though there was 
nothing mysterious in her youthful, Amer- 
ican prettiness, there is always a poignant 
and appealing quality in all beauty. 
Esther suddenly leaned over and placing 
her hands on both her sister^ s cheeks, 
kissed her. 

^^What have you been doing alone all 
day?^’ she asked. ^^Was your mother 
well enough to go out with you?’’ 

Betty shook her head without replying 
and, though Esther saw nothing, Dick 
Ashton had an idea that his sister was 
merely waiting for a more propitious time 
for the account of her own day. For 
she asked immediately after: ^‘What dif- 
ference in the world does it make, Esther 
Crippen, what I have been doing? The 
thing I wish to know this instant is 
whether Professor Hecksher has asked 
you to sing at his big concert with his 
really star singers? And if he has asked 
you what did you answer?” 

^^So that was what was worrying you, 
Esther?” Dick said and walked over to 
the high window, pretending to look out. 

For Esther was beginning to grow as 


CHANGES 


61 


pale and wretched as she had been an 
hour before and was once more twisting 
her hands together like an awkward child. 

Betty caught her sister’s hands, holding 
them close. ^^Tell me the truth,” she 
insisted. 

First the older girl nodded, as though 
not trusting herself to speak and then said : 
^^Yes, Professor Hecksher has asked me. 
He wants me to make my musical deb^d 
even though I go on studying afterwards. 
But I can’t do it, Betty dear. I wish 
you and the Professor would both under- 
stand. I appreciate his thinking I can 
sing well enough, but it is not true. 1 
should break down; my voice would fail 
utterly. Oh, I am sorry I ever came 
abroad to study. I have been realizing 
for months and months that my voice is 
not worth the trouble and expense father 
and the rest of you have taken. I am 
simply going to be a disappointment to 
all of you.” 

''Esther, you are a great big goose!” 
Betty exclaimed indignantly. thought 
we ended this discussion last night and 
you decided to let Professor Hecksher 


62 


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judge whether or not you could sing. 
One would think he might know, as he 
is the biggest singing teacher in Berlin. 
And certainly if you donT sing I shall 
die of disappointment. And I shall be- 
lieve that you are ungrateful to father 
and to — ^to all of us.^’ 

She was obliged to break off, for Esther 
had left the room. 

Then Dick swung around, facing his 
sister. ^^Look here, Betty, he began 
more angrily than she had often heard 
him speak. ^^Has it ever occurred to 
you that you may all be forcing Esther 
into a life for which she is not fitted, 
which wiU never make her happy? Of 
course there is no denying her talent; 
her voice is wonderful and grows more 
so each day. But she is intensely shy. 
She hates notoriety and strange people— 
everything that a musical life must mean. 
I don’t think that you ought to insist 
upon her singing at this special concert 
if she does not wish it. You do not 
understand her.” 

Utter amazement during her brother’s 
long speech kept Betty silent. For it 


CHANGES 


63 


was too absurd that any one should 
seriously suggest Esther^s turning her 
back on the big opportunity for which 
she had been working for the past two 
years. Why, for what other purpose had 
they come to Germany? And for Esther 
to be invited to sing at Professor Heck- 
sher’s annual autumn concert was to have 
the seal of his approval set upon her 
ability. For of course the great man 
selected from his pupils only those whose 
appearance in public would reflect credit 
upon him. And often an appearance 
at one of these much-talked-of recitals 
meant the beginning of a musical repu- 
tation in the outside world. So Betty 
stared at her brother curiously, at loss 
to appreciate his point of view. She felt 
offended, too, at the tone he had just taken 
with her. 

^^So you think you understand Esther 
better than I do, Dick?'' she answered 
slowly. “I suppose you and Esther must 
have talked this matter over on your 
way home. Certainly it is Esther's own 
choice and I shall say nothing more about it. 
And I'll ask mother not to mention the sub- 


64 


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ject either.’’ Betty picked up a small piece 
of embroidery lying on a table near by and 
began sewing industriously, keeping her 
face bent over it so as to hide her flushed 
cheeks and the light in her eyes. For 
Betty had not forgotten her Camp Fire 
training in self-control. Besides, she did 
not like quarrehng with her brother. 
Dick was ordinarily so reasonable, she 
felt even more mystifled than hurt by 
his behavior. It was so unlike him to 
argue that one should turn back from 
a long-sought goal just because there were 
difficulties to be overcome. Had he not 
fought through every kind of obstacle for 
the sake of his profession? 

The silence in the room was interrupted 
only by the ticking of a Swiss clock, 
until Anally a deep gong sounded from 
below stairs. It might easily have given 
the impr^ion that the house was on 
fire, but as neither Dick nor Betty ap- 
peared surprised, it was plainly a summons 
to the early dinner, which is so important 
a feature of German pension life. 

Folding up her work Betty moved 
quietly toward the door. But she had 


CHANGES 


65 


only gone a few steps when she heard 
Dick coming after her. Then in spite of 
trying her best to hurry from the room, 
he caught up with her, putting his arms 
about her. 

^^Tell me you are sorry. Princess, or 
you shan^t have any dinner/’ he de- 
manded. For it had been a fashion of 
theirs years before when they were chil- 
dren to have the offender pretend to 
demand an apology from the offended. 
But Betty did not feel in the mood for 
jesting at present and so shook her head. 

Then Dick met her gaze with an expres- 
sion so unusual that Betty instantly felt 
her resentment fading. 

Perhaps I was wrong in what I said 
just then, little sister, I don’t feel sure,” 
he apologized. ^^But at least I realize 
that you wish Esther to gain fame and 
fortune for her own sake and not for yours. 
I was only wondering which makes a 
woman happier in the end, a home or a 
career? Now please relate me your day’s 
experience, which you have been keeping 
such a profound secret, so that I may know 
I am forgiven.” 


66 


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‘‘It is too late now/' Betty returned, 
slipping away from his grasp. “I must 
find out whether mother is coming down 
to dinner. Perhaps I may teU you after- 
wards." 


CHAPTER VI 


A Cosmopolitan Company 

S ITTING opposite Betty at the din- 
ner table were the two Gorman 
youths to whom Dick most objected. 
And yet they were totally unlike both in 
appearance and position. For one of them 
was apparently a humble person, with 
long light hair hanging in poetic fashion 
below his shirt collar, a big nose and small, 
hungry, light-blue eyes that seemed always 
to be swimming in a mist of embarrassment. 
He was a clerk in a bank and occupied the 
smallest room on the highest floor of the 
pension. So it would have been natural 
enough to suppose from his manner and 
behavior that he was of plebeian origin. 
But exactly the opposite was the case. For 
the landlady, Mrs. Hohler, who was her- 
self an impoverished gentlewoman, had 
confided to Mrs. Ashton that the strange 
youth was in reality of noble birth. He 
had an uncle who was a count, and though 

(67) 


68 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


this uncle had one son, the nephew Fred- 
erick stood second in the line of succession. 
To Richard Ashton, however, this added 
nothing to the young man’s charms, nor 
did it make him the less provoked over 
Frederick von Reuter’s attitude toward 
Betty. Nevertheless he rather preferred 
Frederick, who seemed utterly without 
brains, to her second admirer, Franz. For 
Franz was dark and aggressive and had 
an extremely rich father, a merchant in 
Hamburg. Also Franz hoped to be able 
to purchase a commission in the German 
army, so that already he was assuming 
the dictatorial, disagreeable manner for 
which many German officers are unpleas- 
antly distinguished. 

However, neither young man had ever 
done anything in the least offensive either 
to Betty or to any member of her family, 
so that Dick Ashton’s feeling was largely 
prejudice. And although Esther shared his 
point of view, Mrs. Ashton was somewhat 
flattered at the amount of admiration that 
Betty’s beauty had excited ever since their 
arrival in Europe. As for Betty herself, 
she gave the whole question very little 


COSMOPOLITAN COMPANY 69 


attention. All her life she had been accus- 
tomed to attention. Now and then her 
two suitors amused her and at other times 
she was bored by them. Notwithstanding 
she did not find it disagreeable to be able 
to tease her serious-minded brother. More- 
over, the widow with her two daughters, 
about whom Betty and her mother had 
been making guesses for several years, con- 
tinued making her home at the pension, 
and without a shadow of a doubt one of 
the girls regarded Dick with especial favor. 

So tonight Betty, who had not yet 
entirely recovered from her irritation, was 
unusually gracious to the two young Ger- 
mans. She even lingered downstairs in the 
small, overcrowded parlor after dinner with 
her mother, allowing Dick and Esther, who 
were not so friendly with the other board- 
ers, to go up alone to their private sitting 
room. 

Fritz and. Franz,^^ as Betty’s adorers 
were called, although Herr von Reuter 
and Herr Schmidt were their proper titles, 
were regarded with a good deal of quiet 
amusement by their fellow boarders. While 
this filled the autocratic soul of Franz with 


70 


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a variety of suppressed emotions, the gen- 
tle Fritz seemed totally unaware of it. He 
was content to sit silently on one side of the 
schones Frduleiriy even when she devoted the 
greater part of her attention to his rival. 
This evening, without openly flinching, he 
overheard her accepting with her mother^s 
approval an invitation from the wealthy 
Franz for both of them to attend a perfor- 
mance at the Royal Opera House the next 
ev^ng. Then, although Frederick’s eyes 
grew mistier and his flgure more dejected 
in consequence, he did not leave the parlor 
until Betty and her mother had gone up 
stairs. Late into the night, however, had 
anyone been in the German youth’s neigh- 
borhood, strains of exquisitely melancholy 
music might have been heard drifting forth 
from a fifth floor back room. It was the 
music of the oboe. 

Even after Betty Ashton had seen her 
mother in bed, helping her undress for 
the night, she did not immediately join 
Esther and Dick, although Mrs. Ash- 
ton had asked her to explain to them 
that she was not well enough to remain 
up any longer. Instead Betty went first 


COSMOPOLITAN COMPANY 71 


into her own bedroom and there re-read the 
two letters which she carried in her pocket. 
For if Dick and Esther were of so much 
the same opinion in regard to her sister^s 
refusal to sing in public, it was best that 
they be allowed to discuss the matter with- 
out interruption from her. For although 
she had promised not to speak of it again 
to her sister, Betty felt that it would be 
impossible for her to disguise how she 
actually felt. It was wicked of Esther, 
utterly foolish and unreasonable, to intend 
surrendering to her own shyness and 
lack of self-confidence, as with Dick^s 
abetting she evidently intended doing. 
Why, Esther might have a truly great 
future! Professor Hecksher had assured 
Mrs. Ashton that she only required time, 
training and more self-confidence. For, 
although when Esther was finally under 
the sway of her music, she was able to 
throw her whole force and fervor into it, 
in the beginning of any performance she 
was often awkward and shy, alarming 
her audience with the impression that she 
might break down. Professor Hecksher 
had even suggested that Esther’s voice 


72 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


might be beautiful enough for grand opera 
when she grew older and had more expe- 
rience. 

With this last thought still in mind, 
Betty finally returned to the sitting room 
to spend the rest of the evening with her 
brother and sister. Often she had thought 
of how curious it was that she could speak 
of Dick and Esther in this fashion when they 
bore not the slightest relation to each other! 

She foimd them sitting on opposite 
sides of a small table, a complete silence 
pervading the room, although neither one 
of them was reading. Esther^s face was 
flushed and Dick^s a little pale. As Dick 
rose to give his chair to tiie newcomer, 
Esther spoke: 

Please donT go. Dr. Ashton,’’ she said. 
And Betty wondered idly why Esther 
should suppose that Dick intended leav- 
ing the room. More often than not he 
spent his evenings at home with them. 

only want to tell you, Betty dear,” 
she continued, “that you were quite right 
this afternoon in saying that I was wrong 
in refusing this chance to sing at Professor 
Hecksher’s concert. Of course I am not 


COSMOPOLITAN COMPANY 73 


going to give up my work now, when I 
have been struggling and struggling to 
learn even the little bit I know. Then if 
I never sing in public how am I ever to 
earn that fortune which I have promised 
to bestow on you, Princess?^’ 

Esther laughed, but Betty frowned with 
an expression unusual to her. 

donT want you to keep on with your 
singing, Esther, for my sake,^’ she pro- 
tested. Mother and I are accustomed 
now to being poor and don^t mind it. So 
if there is anything else you would prefer 
to do with your life, please don^t waste a 
thought on me.” 

Esther shook her head reproachfully. 
^ Don’t be silly and don’t be cross. Prin- 
cess,” she pleaded. ^^You know perfectly 
well that I can no more help thinking 
about you than I can help breathing. 
But so far as my keeping on with my 
music is concerned, I can’t see that I 
shall ever have the right not to do that. 
So I am going to make the biggest effort 
I possibly can at the concert, and then 
if I fail, why at least I shall have been true 
ta Hhe Law of the Fire.’ ” 


74 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


At this Betty^s face softened, but Dick 
Ashton marched abruptly out of the room. 

Neither of the two girls, though far 
away from their old Camp Fire circle 
now for two years, had ever forgotten its 
purposes and teaching. So often when 
they were lonely the three Wohelo candles 
were lighted and the old ceremony fol- 
lowed, usually ending by Esther^s singing 
a Camp Fire song. 

Tonight Betty walked over to a kind of 
shrine or sheK which they had erected in 
one corner of their room. German houses 
have queer stoves and no jflreplaces. There 
she lighted three tall white candles. The 
long northern twilight was fading and the 
room had become almost dark. 

A moment after, Betty came and sat 
down on a stool at Esther’s feet. 

had a letter from Polly today, 
she began. ^^She and Miss Adams have 
landed and are in England. They want 
to join us later if — if ’’ 

“If what, Betty?” Esther demanded. 
“Surely you and Polly are not to be dis- 
appointed in being with each other!” 

“Well, it is just this that I have been 


COSMOPOLITAN COMPANY 75 


dying to tell you ever since you came 
home/^ Betty protested, her words now 
running over each other in her ejffort to 
tell all her story at once. Polly wrote 
that Miss Adams would love to come 
and spend a part of the summer near us 
if we were only in some place in the coun- 
try. But she is too worn out from her 
work last winter to feel that she can 
endure the city for any length of time. 
And you know mother and I have been 
getting pretty tired of Berhn ourselves 
lately, since the warm weather has come 
and you and Dick are away so much of 
the day. So this morning while you were 
out I got one of the maids to go with 
me and we went for miles into the coun- 
try until we came to an enchanting place, 
all forests and brooks, near the village of 
Waldheim. I can’t tell you all that hap- 
pened to me or the queer experience I 
had, only that I foimd a delightful place 
where we may live. It is near enough 
for you and Dick to come back and forth 
into town. And it is so still and cool 
with such wonderful green hills behind it 
that somehow it made me think of Sun- 


76 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


rise Mountain and our cabin and the 
girls and — ” But in a sudden wave of 
homesickness Betty’s voice failed and she 
dropped her face in her hands. 

Esther’s own voice was unstead}^ 
^^Then we will move out to this spot 
at once, Betty. And don’t you ever 
dare tell me that I am not to think of 
you in connection with my music, when 
I realize how much you have given up 
for me. Oh, yes, I know you have en- 
joyed Europe and Berlin and all of our 
interesting experiences. Yet somehow I 
don’t believe that you will ever be so 
fond of any place in the world as you 
are of your old home in Woodford. You 
see that is the way I comfort myself and 
Dr. Ashton about your new foreign ad- 
mirers. You wouldn’t, Betty, ever seri- 
ously care for anyone who lives in Europe, 
would you?” Esther asked so anxiously 
that her sister laughed, refusing to make 
a reply. 


CHAPTER Vn 


Das Rheingold 

GIRL sat on a flat rock beside 



a small stream of water, evidently 


^ ^ drying her hair in the rays of 
the sun, for it hung loose over her shoul- 
ders and shone red and gold and brown, 
seeming to ripple down from the crown 
of her head to the ground. She was 
entirely alone and a close group of trees 
formed a kind of green temple behind her. 
It had been an extremely warm day so 
that even the birds were resting from song 
and from labor. 

Suddenly the girl tore into small pieces 
the letter that she had been writing, toss- 
ing them into the air like a troop of white 
butterflies. 

“There is no use of my trying to do 
anything sensible this afternoon,'^ Betty 
Ashton sighed, “I am so happy over being 
in the country once more with nothing 
to do but to do nothing. I was dead 


( 77 ) 


78 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


tired of all those people at the pension^ 
of Fritz and Franz and all the rest of 
them. It is lovely to be alone here in 
the German forests ” 

Then unexpectedly Betty Ashton 
straightened up, looking about her in every 
possible direction in a puzzled fashion 
while hurriedly arranging her hair. For 
although she could see no one approach- 
ing, she could hear an unmistakable sound, 
a kind of mellow whistling, then flute- 
like notes and afterwards a low throbbing, 
as though the wings of imprisoned things 
were beating in the air. 

Betty stared through the open spaces 
between the trees, since from that direc- 
tion the sound was now approaching. 
But when and where had she heard that 
peculiar music before? However, the, Ger- 
mans were such a strangely musical race 
that probably any one of her neighbors 
could play. 

Then with a smothered expression of 
vexation, the girl got up on her feet and 
took a few steps forward. There was 
no mistaking the figure slowly advancing, 
the long fight hair, the mild eyes and 


DAS RHEINGOLD 


79 


timid though persistent manner. But how 
in the world had Frederick von Reuter 
found her, when she had been careful not 
to mention where they were going in saying 
farewell at the pension? 

^^Why, Herr von Reuter,’^ Betty ex- 
claimed, divided between vexation and the 
thought that she must not be rude, “what 
are you doing in this part of the world 
and how did you happen to discover me?^’ 

At this question the young man abruptly 
ceased his sentimental playing, though in- 
stead of answering Betty in a sensible 
fashion, he pointed first toward her hair 
and then toward the water behind her and 
the circle of hills. 

“I haf come in search of ^Das Rhein- 
gold he murmured in his funny, broken 
English, “and I haf found a Rhein madchen, 
nicht wahr?^^ 

Betty bit her lips. She was not in the 
mood for nonsense and it was difficult 
to conceive of her present companion as 
the hero of Wagner^s great opera. 

“Let^s not be absurd,^’ she returned 
coldly. “And please answer my ques- 
tions.’^ Betty did not mean to be dis- 


80 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


agreeable, for she did not actually dislike 
this young man — ^he was too queer and 
apparently too simple. Nevertheless it was 
impossible for her to appreciate how unlike 
she was to any other girl with whom the 
young German had ever associated. Her 
frankness, her self-possession, her bright- 
ness and of course her beauty, all of 
which were ordinary characteristics of most 
American girls, were a kind of miracle 
to Fritz. 

“I haf come into this place that I may 
see yoUj^^ he replied. ^'And your Mutter 
has told me where I must come to look. 
But this neighborhood I know sehr wohl. 
It is the castle of my uncle which you 
may haf seen on a hill not far away. It 
is of stone with a high wall around it ’’ 

But Betty’s expression had now changed, 
her eyes were sparkling and her color 
rapidly changing. How could poor Fritz 
have guessed that no higher emotion than 
curiosity stirred her? She now pointed 
invitingly toward a fallen tree, seating 
herself on one end of it. 

^^Do tell me more about the places 
near here, if you know about them,” she 




82 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


suggested. was perfectly sure that 
they had strange and romantic histories. 
I think I can guess which is your uncle’s 
estate. Has it a long avenue of linden 
trees and a lodge covered with ivy and 
a lake with a waterfall?” 

Betty hesitated, for even Fritz was 
looking somewhat startled at her knowl- 
edge of details. 

^^And it may aU be yours some day!” 
the girl added, hoping to change the current 
of her companion’s thoughts. 

But the young man shook his head. 
^^No,” he returned honestly, haf in 
my heart no such idea. My cousin is 
younger than I am, stronger ” 

Betty glanced over toward the blue 
rim of hills. ^Ts your cousin a girl?” 
she queried softly. 

Young Herr von Reuter was again sur- 
prised. thought I haf told you. No, 
he is a man, like me. Oh, no, not like 
me,” he added sadly. ^^My cousin is 
tall like me, but he carries of himseK 
so otherwise.” Fritz touched his own 
shoulders, owing their stoop perhaps to 
the long hours spent in going over his 


DAS RHEINGOLD 


83 


accounts in the bank. ^^And his hair it 
is light and his eyes blue. And there is a 
shine on his hair that makes it so golden as 
Siegfried’s. And when he laughs!” Poor 
Fritz’s face now wore the same expres- 
sion of mild adoration which he had 
oftentimes bestowed upon Betty. 

^'But if you are so awfully fond of 
your cousin and he is a count living in 
that old stone castle, why does he not 
do something for you? I should think 
your uncle ” 

“You do not verstehen, you Amerikanery^^ 
Fritz answered. “My uncle is sehr poor 
himself. It is hard to live as he must. 
Some day my cousin must marry a rich 
girl with his title and his good looks.” 

Betty laughed. “Oh, that’s the plan. 
Is it? Well, let us walk on back to the 
cottage and find mother. I am sure she 
will enjoy talking to you.” 

Again Betty Ashton’s manner had 
changed to its original indifference. 

Fritz seemed bewildered and a little 
depressed. “It is schoner here,” he re- 
plied. However, he got up and obediently 
followed Betty out of her retreat. She 


34 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


was more than half a mile from the cot- 
tage which they had secured for the sum- 
mer time. And they were compelled to 
pass out of the woods and walk along 
a country lane for a part of the way. 
There were few persons using this lane at 
four o’clock on a hot July afternoon, and so 
Betty had felt that she would be perfectly 
safe from observation. She had left home 
with her hair still damp from washing and 
simply tucked up under a big summer hat. 

Now she was feeling disheveled and 
uncomfortable and most devoutly anxious 
not to meet anyone on their return jour- 
ney. It had been tiresome of her mother 
to have revealed her whereabouts. 

Then all at once Betty found herself 
blushing and wishing that she could hide 
somewhere along the road. For there ad- 
vancing toward them was a handsome 
riding horse. Could it be possible that 
Herr von Reuter’s cousin was seeking 
him? She must not meet him under the 
present conditions, not if what she believed 
were true. 

But the horse kept moving toward them 
with greater rapidity, while Fritz plodded 


DAS RHEINGOLD 


85 


on slowly at her side, telling her some 
story of the history of the neighborhood 
and not imderstanding that for the time 
being she had lost interest in it. 

Betty glanced about her. There was 
no place where she might hide herself 
without being seen in the act; besides 
her companion could never be made to 
understand her behavior and would be 
sure to reveal his bewilderment. No, she 
must simply continue walking on with 
her head averted and her attention too 
concentrated upon Herr von Reuter^s in- 
formation to be conscious of anything 
else. 

Now the low voice at her ear abruptly 
ceased, and turning in surprise to glance 
at him, Betty beheld Fritz^s ordinarily 
placid coimtenance crimsoning with what 
certainly looked like anger instead of pleas- 
ure at the appearance of his admired 
cousin. 

Ach Himmel!” exclaimed poor Fritz, 
^^is one never to lose him?^^ 

Betty would have liked to stamp her 
foot with vexation. For the figure on 
horseback was wholly unlike the Ger- 


86 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


man knight whom her companion had 
recently described. Here was no Sieg- 
fried with shining hair and armor, but 
a small dark person whom she had hoped 
never to see again. He reined up his horse, 
slid off, and after a surprised scowl at 
Fritz, greeted Betty as though she could 
hardly fail to be gratified by his appearance. 

^^You had neglected to tell me where 
I might find you, but Frau Hohler was 
kinder,^' Franz Schmidt declared at once. 

Surely Betty’s manner might have dis- 
couraged almost anyone else, but not so 
pompous and self-satisfied a character as 
Franz. Money appeared to him as the 
only really important thing in the world 
and he had an idea that Betty Ashton had 
but little of it. Therefore she must be 
impressed by his attentions. Notwith- 
standing he decided at this moment she 
would soon have to choose between him 
and the ridiculous Fritz. 

Franz was now walking along by the 
other side of Betty, leading his horse. 
And all the time the girl kept wondering 
what she could do or say to get rid of 
one or both of her escorts. Fortunately 


DAS RHEINGOLD 


87 


she would find no one at home except her 
mother. Esther’s and Dick’s train did 
not arrive for another hour. They doubt- 
less would have been amused and Dick 
very probably angry. How nonsensical 
she must appear marching along in such 
a company! 


CHAPTER VIII 


Other Scenes 

TAXICAB was driving slowly 



down Regent Street in the neigh- 


^ ^ borhood of Piccadilly Circus in 
London with a woman and a girl inside 
it. The woman leaned back in a relaxed 
position with her eyes not on the scene 
about her, but on the face of the girl. 
For she was sitting upright with her hands 
clasped tight together in her lap, her eyes 
sparkling and her cheeks glowing. 

It was nearly six o^clock in the after- 
noon, the hour when Enghsh people, hav- 
ing just finished their afternoon tea,^^ 
were returning to their homes, so that the 
streets were crowded with fashionably 
dressed men and women. And to the 
girl in the cab they were entirely absorb- 
ing and interesting. For whatever the 
closeness of their relation, American and 
English people when seen in any num- 
bers are strikingly different in their appear- 


( 88 ) 


OTHER SCENES 


89 


ance. The English are taller and fairer, 
the men better dressed than the women, 
and with less energy and less grace than 
Americans. And to a young girFs eyes 
there were also hundreds of other details 
of unlikeness and of fascination that older 
persons possibly might not have noticed. 
Besides there was the spectacle of big, 
beautiful, gray old London itself! 

^^Is there any other place on earth quite 
so wonderful?’^ Polly O^Neill queried, turn- 
ing to glance shyly into the face of the 
woman beside her. feel that I should 
like to do nothing else for the rest of my 
life but just sit here in this cab and drive 
about Piccadilly.’’ 

Miss Adams smiled. For Polly’s exag- 
gerations, that oftentimes annoyed other 
people, merely amused her. Thus far, 
and they had been away for a number 
of weeks, the great lady had not repented 
her invitation to the girl to be her guest 
in Europe during the summer. For some 
reason she had taken an odd fancy to Polly. 
Moreover, she was weary of her usual 
summer amusements, wishing to enjoy life 
through younger eyes than her own. And 


90 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


the special value of Polly O’Neill as a 
companion was that with her ardent Irish 
temperament she could see and feel more 
in half an hour than many persons do in 
half a life time. 

Now, however, with her swift vision 
of her companion’s expression, the girl’s 
altered. '^You are tired,” she murmured, 
with one of her quick changes of mood 
and of opinion, ^^and I am sure that I 
have seen all I wish to this afternoon. 
Don’t you think we had better drive 
back to the hotel?” 

Miss Adams made a little sign to the 
cabman. ^^It is getting late, Polly, and 
I forgot to tell you that I am having a 
friend to dinner.” 

The girl was silent for the next few 
moments after this speech, yet her cheeks 
were flushing and her eyes so intent that 
it was evident she was trying to say 
something without having sufficient cour- 
age to begin. Finally she did speak in 
an embarrassed fashion: 

^‘Miss Adams, I don’t quite know how 
to say this, but I have been wondering 
lately if you were not growing tired of 


OTHER SCENES 


91 


London and staying on longer here on 
my account. You remember that you 
told me before we sailed that you were 
going to find some quiet place in the 
country to rest. And it has not been 
much rest for you showing me both Paris 
and London, with people after you all the 
time, even though you do refuse most of 
their invitations.^^ A sudden overwhelm- 
ing shyness confused the girl so that she 
could not continue for the moment. For 
in spite of the weeks of daily intimacy 
with her new friend, Polly was not yet 
able to think of her nor to treat her like 
any other human being. Not that Miss 
Adams was ever anything but simple and 
kind like most great people. She made 
no effort to be impressive and was not 
beautiful — only a shght, frail-looking 
woman with a figure like a girPs, chestnut 
brown hair and big, indescribably wonder- 
ful eyes. But to Polly she represented 
everything in life worth attaining. Al- 
though still comparatively young, Mar- 
garet Adams had won for herself the posi- 
tion of one of Americans leading actresses. 
Moreover, she had the world^s respect 


92 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


as well as its admiration, and besides 
her reputation a large fortune. So it 
was small wonder that Polly should not 
so soon have recovered from her first com- 
bination of awe and devotion for this cele- 
brated woman, nor yet imderstand the 
miracle of her choice of her as a traveling 
companion. It was true that Miss Adams 
had no family and no close relatives except 
her cousin, Mary Adams, who had been 
Polly’s elocution teacher in Woodford. 
The effort to persuade this cousin to 
accompany her on the European trip had 
been the cause of Margaret Adams’ visit 
to Woodford earlier in the spring. There, 
finding that her cousin could not join her 
and yielding to a sudden impulse, she had 
transferred her invitation to Polly. And 
the thought that Miss Adams may have 
repented her rashness since their departure 
from home had oftentimes made Polly 
O’Neill grow suddenly hot and then cold. 
Some day, perhaps, her mother would 
discover that this trip of Polly’s with Miss 
Adams was to teach her the lessons that 
at the present time she most needed — a 
new humility and the desire to place another 


OTHER SCENES 


93 


person’s comfort and wishes before her 
own. 

Perhaps Miss Adams partly understood 
the girl’s sensations, for without waiting 
for her to continue her speech she imme- 
diately asked: ^‘What was the name of 
that place in the German forests about 
which your friends have written you? 
Did they not say that they had found a 
Uttle house for themselves and another 
not far away for us? It might be pleasant 
to go there for a time.” 

In endeavoring to hide her excitement 
Polly now had to tiun her head and pre- 
tend to be looking at something out of 
the opposite side of the cab. For this 
suggestion of Miss Adams represented the 
summit of her own desires. Of course 
she had adored the sights and experi- 
ences of the weeks in Paris and London, 
and life had never been so fascinating; 
yet never for a moment had she ceased 
to look forward and yearn for a reunion 
with Betty and Esther. Moreover, Betty’s 
picture of the country where they now 
were sounded like a scene from one of the 
German operas. 


Q4 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


But Polly only murmured: ^^The village 
is called ^Waldheim/ and made no reply 
when Miss Adams returned: Perhaps it 
may be a good idea for us to go on there 
in a week or ten days, if we can make the 
necessary arrangements.’^ 

By this time, however, their cab had 
stopped in front of a small, inconspicuous 
brown hotel, which was one of the quietest 
and yet most fashionable hotels in Lon- 
don, and within a few moments the two 
women disappeared into their own rooms. 

Half an hour afterwards Polly walked 
into their private sitting room. There 
she sat down at a desk, intending to 
write to Betty Ashton before the dinner 
hour. 

In making her European trip under 
such unusual circumstances Polly had not 
brought with her a great number of 
clothes. Nevertheless her stepfather had 
insisted that she have whatever might be 
necessary and Mrs. Wharton had taken 
great care and forethought to see that her 
things were beautiful and appropriate. For 
PoUy was not an easy person to dress suit- 
ably. Persons who have more tempera- 


OTHER SCENES 


95 


ment than sheer physical beauty always 
are difficult. It is impossible that they 
should look well in any character of chang- 
ing fashion or in the colors that are out of 
harmony with their natures. For instance, 
one could never conceive of Polly O^Neill 
in a pale blue gown, though for MoUie or 
Betty Ashton it might be one^s immediate 
choice. White and red, pale yellow or pink 
were PoUy^s shades for evening wear and 
either brown or green for the street. 

Tonight at work on her letter she 
appeared younger than in truth she was, 
like a girl of sixteen Instead of nineteen. 
For although her hair was worn in a 
heavy braided coil encircling her head, 
her dress was extremely simple. It was 
of messaline silk of ivory whiteness and 
made with a short Empire waist and 
narrow, clinging skirt. There was no sign 
of trimming, except where the dress was 
cut low into a square at the throat and 
edged with a fold of tulle. 

On first coming into the sitting room, 
Polly, who had always an instinctive at- 
traction toward bright colors, had taken 
a red carnation from a vase on a table 


96 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


and was now wearing the flower care- 
lessly fastened inside her belt. 

During the first absorption of her writ- 
ing she had paid no heed to the door^s 
quiet opening. Nor did she stir when a 
strange man entering the room took his 
seat before the tiny fire which Miss Adams 
always had lighted in the evenings, since 
the English summer is so often unpleasantly 
cool to American people. Neither did the 
man appear to have observed Polly. 

When the girl finally did become aware 
of his presence she remembered that Miss 
Adams had neglected to mention the name 
of the guest whom they were expecting to 
dinner. And although Polly was becom- 
ing more accustomed to the almost daily 
meetings with strangers, she always suf- 
fered a few first moments of painful shyness. 

The man happened to have his back 
turned toward her and had seated himself 
in a comfortable big leather chair. Never- 
theless as soon as she stirred from her desk 
he got up instantly, facing her with a kind 
of smiling and vague politeness such as 
one often employs in greeting a stranger. 
Their guest was a good-looking man, with 


OTHER SCENES 


97 


clear-cut features, a smooth face and brown 
hair. He wore evening dress, of course, 
and held himself with exceptional dignity 
and grace. He must have been about 
twenty-seven or -eight years old. There 
was nothing in the least formidable or 
disconcerting in his appearance, so it 
seemed distinctly ungracious and stupid 
of Polly to commence their acquaintance 
by stammering, “Oh, Oh, why — and 
then continue to gaze into their visitor's 
face without attempting to finish her 
utterly unintelligible speech. 

Also for the space of a moment the man 
seemed surprised and a trifle embarrassed 
by this odd form of greeting. Neverthe- 
less the next instant he was staring at the 
girl in equal amazement. Then suddenly 
he held out both his hands. “It is the 
^Fairy of the Woods,’ or I am dreaming!” 
he exclaimed, closing and then opening his 
eyes again. 

Polly at once dispelled all possible 
uncertainty. “If I am the ^ Fairy of 
the Woods,’ then you are ^Grazioso’ in 
'The Castle of Youth,’ ” she laughed, 
allowing her own hands to rest for the 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


98 

space of a second in those of her former 
acquaintance. ^^But as I happen to re- 
member your real name, Mr. Hunt, and 
you cannot possibly recall mine, I am 
PoUy O^Neill.^^ 

^^Then will you please sit down and 
tell me everything that has been happen- 
ing to you and how I chance to find you 
here in London with Miss Adams?’^ Richard 
Hunt insisted, drawing up a chair to within 
a few feet of his own. 

Polly sat down. And quite uncon- 
sciously dropped her pointed chin into 
the palm of her hand, murmuring with 
her elbow resting on the arm of her chair: 

“You remember that time when I met 
you in New York, we were both playing 
in a fairy story, she said. “Well, some- 
times fairy stories come true,^’ she said. 

Ten minutes afterwards when Miss 
Adams entered the drawing room to greet 
her guest, to her surprise she found that 
he and Polly were already deep in intimate 
conversation, so much so that they did 
not immediately hear her approach. And 
Polly was ordinarily so diffident and 
tongue-tied with strangers! 


OTHER SCENES 


99 


am glad that you and Mr. Hunt 
have not waited for me to introduce you, 
Polly, Miss Adams began. Polly jinnped 
to her feet, and her face grew suddenly 
white. For she had never spoken of her 
escapade of two years before to Miss 
Adams, and did not know just how the 
great lady might receive it. Richard Hunt 
waited pohtely for the girl to acknowledge 
her previous acquaintance with him. For 
if she did not wish to speak he must, of 
course, by no word or sign betray her. 
However, in less than a moment Polly had 
fought out a silent battle with herseK. 
There was no positive reason why she 
should confess her misdeed to this 
woman whom she admired beyond all 
others. And yet to pretend a falsehood 
to her friend, PoUy could not endme the 
thought. 

The girl made a charming pictme as 
she stood there in her white dress with 
her eyes cast down, not trusting herseK 
to look into the face of either of her 
friends. Quite frankly, then, she told the 
entire story of her sudden yielding to 
temptation and of her two weeks’ expo- 


100 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


rience in stage life, which had resulted 
in her meeting with Mr. Hunt. 

Nor did she allow her speech to take 
but a few moments of time, not wishing 
to draw too much attention to herself. 
At the instant of her finishing, it happened 
that dinner was announced, so that Miss 
Adams had no opportunity for expressing 
an opinion of Polly’s conduct either one 
way or the other. As they walked out of 
the room, however, she did manage to give 
Polly’s arm a tiny sympathetic squeeze, 
whispering, ‘^I’U tell you of my own first 
stage appearance some day, dear, if you 
remind me of my promise.” 


CHAPTER IX 


The Meeting 


U; 


T 


*HEY are not coming, Esther^ 
and I am so dreadfully dis- 
appointed I think I shall weep,” 


Betty Ashton announced one afternoon 
about two weeks later. The two girls were 
waiting in front of a tumble-down little 
German station in the country, appar- 
ently several miles from any thickly set- 
tled spot. Esther was seated in a car- 
riage with a driver, but Betty was leaning 
disconsolately over the station platform 
raised by a few steps from the ground. 
A few moments before she had been 
walking rapidly up and down in far 
too great a state of excitement and pleas- 
ure to keep still. Now, however, the 
train had pulled in and stopped, letting 
off several stout passengers, but revealing 
no sign of Polly O’Neill and the maid, 
whom Miss Adams was sending on ahead 
to make things ready for her. 


( 101 ) 


102 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


^^They must have missed the train; 
they will be sure to come down early in 
the morning/^ Esther comforted. 

But Betty mournfully shook her head. 
^^It wonT be quite the same if they do. 
Of course I shall always be happy to see 
Polly O^Neill at any time or place in 
this world or the next; still, a postponed 
pleasure is not as agreeable as one that 
takes place on time. And think of all 
we had planned for this evening!^’ 

Under the circumstances there was noth- 
ing for Betty to do now but to climb back 
into the carriage and take her seat next 
her sister. For the little station was by 
this time completely deserted and had 
few attractions for making one linger long 
in its neighborhood. It was too lonely 
and dilapidated. There was another sta- 
tion at Waldheim, where passengers usually 
got out, but the two girls had given Polly 
special directions to use this one, so that 
they might have a long drive home through 
the German forests at sundown, bringing 
her to their little house in the woods 
amid the best scenic effects. 

^^We wonT even be able to receive a 


THE MEETING 


103 


telegram tonight teUing us what has oc- 
curred, the office closes so early, Betty 
continued. wish at least that Dick 
had not chosen to spend tonight in Berlin. 
DonT you think he is behaving rather 
curiously lately, Esther? He is so unlike 
himself and sometimes so cross. Of course 
I realized that he had a right to be angry 
when those absurd German youths came 
wandering out here. But I was glad 
enough to have him write to Franz Schmidt 
that he was never to see me again. And 
we have not exactly the right to forbid 
Frederick von Reuter^s coming to this 
neighborhood. You don’t believe, do you, 
Esther child, that Dick can be staying 
in town so often lately to see that abom- 
inable girl at our old pension?” 

Esther chanced to be gazing at the 
beautiful landscape through which they 
were passing, so that the younger girl 
had no opportunity for observing her face. 
Moreover, Esther’s rather weary and wist- 
ful expression would not have altogether 
surprised her, as both she and her mother 
had been worrying recently over Esther’s 
appearance. Undoubtedly she was work- 


104 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


ing too hard over her music. She went 
into town twice a week for lessons and 
the thought of her appearance in the 
early autunrn might also be making her 
nervous. 

Esther made no answer now to Betty^s 
complaints, but instead pointed toward 
a hill at the left of them. Near the sum- 
mit they could see a gray stone house, 
looking more hke a prison than the Amer- 
ican ideal of a home, and yet possessing 
n kind of lonely beauty and dignity. 

Whose castle is that, Betty, do you 
know?^^ Esther queried. Betty wondered 
if the question was intended to change 
the current of her thoughts. 

“It looks far more like one of the castles 
that we saw during our trip along the 
Rhine than the estates near Berlin.^’ 

Then for some absurd reason Betty 
blushed. “It is Fritz von Reuter^s imcle^s 
place, I believe. I have always intended 
telling you, Esther, if you wiU promise not 
to mention it to Dick. The day I first 
came to this neighborhood to look for a 
place for us to live I had rather an odd 
experience. 


THE MEETING 


105 


Betty would have continued her con- 
fession, but at this moment they were 
driving through a wonderful stretch of 
woodland road. The way was narrow 
and on one side was a sharp decline and 
on the other a thick growth of evergreens. 
Moving toward them was a horse with 
a young man upon it in a suit of light 
gray riding clothes, which in the after- 
noon sunlight looked almost the color of 
silver. He was carrying his hat in his 
hand and his hair was a bright yellow 
such as one seldom sees except in young 
children. Indeed, he was so remark- 
ably handsome that even Esther, who 
rarely paid much attention to strangers, 
gazed at him for the moment with inter- 
est, temporarily forgetting what Betty had 
been trying to confess. 

To her amazement, however, the rider 
made not the faintest effort to give 
their carriage the right of way, but 
moved on directly in the center of the 
road. Their driver, evidently recogniz- 
ing the young man as a person of dis- 
tinction, then drove so close to the 
underbrush on their right that both 


106 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


girls felt a momentary fear of being 
tumbled out. 

Betty kept her lips demurely closed 
and her head held upright, with the 
expression of pride and self-possession 
which she reserved for very special occa- 
sions. However, it was dijficult to main- 
tain an atmosphere of cold dignity when 
one was in immediate danger of being 
tipped out of a rickety old carriage into 
a ditch. 

The horse and rider approached nearly 
opposite the carriage, the young fellow 
gazing haughtily but none the less curi- 
ously toward the two American girls. 
Then almost instantly his unprepossessing 
manner changed and his face broke into 
a smile which was singularly charming. 
Neither of the two girls had often seen 
in Germany just this type of youth. He 
was of only medium height, but perfectly 
proportioned, with square military shoul- 
ders, and he rode his horse as though he 
and it were carved from the same block 
of stone. Nevertheless there was no doubt 
but that he was looking at Betty as if 
he expected some sign of recognition. He 


THE MEETING 


107 


was mistaken, however, for she let him 
pass them without even turning her head 
in his direction. 

It was after eight o^clock that evening 
when Mrs. Ashton, Betty and Esther had 
finally come to the end of their melancholy 
dinner. For there are few things drearier 
than eating alone the banquet prepared 
for a long expected guest, when the guest 
has failed to arrive. 

The dinner table had a miniature pine 
tree in the center, which Betty had dug 
out of the earth with her own hands and 
decorated with the tiny Camp Fire em- 
blems which she and Esther always carried 
about in their trunks, while waving from 
its summit was a tiny American flag. On 
either side of the tree were the three candles 
sacred to aU their Camp Fire memories, 
and the table was also loaded with plates 
of German sweets and nuts and favors 
sent out from town for this evening^s 
feast. 

Esther and Mrs. Ashton had been try- 
ing to keep up a semblance of cheerful- 
ness during dinner, but Betty had refused 
to make any such effort. Now the front 


108 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


doorbell unexpectedly rang and their funny 
little German Madchen went out of the 
room to open it. Betty did not even 
glance up. She supposed that it must 
be Dick, who had changed his mind about 
remaining in Berlin and had taken a later 
train home. However, even Dick’s return 
was of only limited interest this evening. 

The next moment and two arms were 
tight about her neck, almost stifling her. 
Then a voice that could only be Polly 
O’Neill’s, though Betty could not turn 
her head, was whispering: 

^'Oh, Princess, Princess, has it been 
two years or two centimies since we met? 
And are you as pretty as ever, and do 
you love me as much?” 

A little later, when both girls had 
laughed and cried in each other’s arms, 
Polly was at last able to explain to Mrs. 
Ashton that she and her maid had made a 
mistake in their train and had taken one 
which did not stop at the out-of-the-way 
station mentioned in the girls’ letters. So 
they had been compelled to go on further 
and then to have an automobile to bring 
them back to Waldheim. 


CHAPTER X 


An Adventure 

/IT 

v/ 1 are going for a walk. Betty has 
^ been talking to some girls in the 

next village about starting a Camp Fire 
club with six dear little German maidens 
who make us think of Meg and MoUie 
when they were tiny. Would you care to 
come with us?^' 

Margaret Adams shook her head. She 
was lying in a hammock under a tree 
which made a complete green canopy 
above her head. At no great distance 
away was the brook where Betty had 
thought herseK in hiding several weeks 
before, and by dint of keeping very quiet 
and concentrating all one’s senses into 
the single one of listening, the music of 
the running water might be heard. The 
woman in the hammock had no desire 
for other entertainment. She had been 
thinking but a few moments before that 

( 109 ) 


110 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


she had not felt so well or so young in 
half a dozen years. The three girls, 
Esther, Betty and Polly, had been laugh- 
ing and talking not far away from her 
for the past hour, but she must have 
been asleep since she had heard no v/ord 
of what they were saying until Polly^s 
direct question to her. 

“I am awfully lazy, Polly dear,’^ she 
apologized. ^^You know I have been 
insisting each day that the next I was 
going to do exactly what you girls do 
and try to pretend I am as young as 
the rest of you. But I have not the 
valor, and besides you will have a far 
more thrilling time without a chaperon. 
Kiss me good-by and take care of pretty 
Betty. And Margaret Adams waved 
her hand in farewell to the other two 
girls. 

Since their stay in the German forests 
she had insisted that the girls treat her 
as much as possible like one of them- 
selves, that they forget her profession and 
her age, and as a sign they were aU to call 
one another by their first names. 

To Betty Ashton this act of friendliness 


AN ADVENTURE 


111 


had not been difficult; it had actually 
been harder for Polly, who had known 
Miss Adams so much more intimately, 
and most trying of all to Esther because 
of her natural timidity. 

In the first place Betty did not often 
think of their new acquaintance as a great 
actress. Once several years before she 
had been introduced to Miss Adams in 
Woodford, but later had considered her 
merely in her relation to Polly. She of 
course felt very strongly the older woman^s 
magnetism, just as the world did, and 
was proud and grateful for this oppor- 
tunity to know her. Indeed, Polly in the 
past few days had to have several serious 
talks with herself in order to stifle a grow- 
ing sensation of jealousy. Of course she 
perfectly appreciated how pretty and 
charming the Princess was and how she 
had attracted people aU her life. Yet 
she was not going to pretend that she was 
noble enough to be willing to have Miss 
Adams prefer the Princess to her humble 
self. 

As Polly joined her two friends she 
found herself surveying Betty with an 


112 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


air that tried hard to be critical; but 
there was no use in attempting it this 
morning. Betty was too ridiculously pretty 
and unconscious of it. For, seeing that 
Polly seemed slightly annoyed with her, 
she slipped her hand into hers, as the 
three of them started off for the village. 
In her other hand she carried her old 
Camp Fire Manual. 

Betty was dressed in an inexpensive 
white muslin with a broad white leather 
belt and a big straw hat encircled with 
a wreath of blue corn flowers. Probably 
her entire outfit had cost less than a 
single pair of slippers in the days of their 
wealth. 

hope, Esther, that you have not 
allowed Betty to go about the country 
alone before I joined you,’’ Polly began 
in her old half-mocking and half-serious 
tones. 

Betty laughed at the idea of Polly 
O’NeiU grown suddenly conventional; how- 
ever, Esther took the suggestion gravely. 

“I don’t know and I am truly glad 
you have arrived, Polly dear, for a great 
many reasons,” she replied. ^^You know 


AN ADVENTURE 


113 


I have to be in Berlin two days every 
week and Dr. Ashton is away the greater 
part of the time. And somehow neither 
one of us has ever been able to persuade 
Mrs. Ashton or Betty to appreciate the 
difference between Germany and America. 
Betty seems to think she can wander 
about here as freely as if she were in 
Woodford.” 

“Well, I shall see that she does not 
wander alone any more if I can help it,” 
Polly added with decision. And then, 
“Tell me, please, for goodness sake, Betty 
Ashton, how you are going to manage to 
start a Camp Fire club in Waldheim? 
In the first place do you know enough 
of the German languages to teach other 
people, and otherwise how Vvdll you ever 
be able to explain all that the Camp Fire 
means, its ceremonies and ideals?” 

For the moment Betty’s face clouded, 
as any lack of faith on Polly’s part had 
always checked her enthusiasm. 

“I can’t teach them all of anything, 
Polly, for in the first place I have never 
begun to understand myself one half that 
our Camp Fire organization stands for* 

8 


114 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


But I have the feeling that because it 
has always given me so much help and 
happiness I should at least try to sug- 
gest the idea to other people. You see 
the Camp Fire is not just an American 
institution. It is almost equally popular 
in England, though there it is called 'The 
Girl Guides.^ And of course in time its 
influence is obliged to spread to Germany, 
so I hope to be a pioneer. I have been 
to the school for girls in Waldheim and 
managed to interest one of the teachers. 
She has promised me that when we have 
read and studied enough together she will 
form a Camp Fire club among her pupils 
and be their first guardian. So you see 
I shall not count for much.’’ 

"Angel child!” exclaimed Polly enigmat- 
ically, but she offered no further criticism. 

And indeed the three girls spent a 
wonderfully interesting two hours among 
Betty’s new acquaintances. For Esther 
and Betty both spoke German extremely 
well after their two years’ residence in 
Berlin, and although Polly had to be 
unusually quiet, she did remember enough 
of her school German to understand the 


AN ADVENTURE 


115 


others. And when their call had finally 
ended Betty promised to return twice 
each week to continue their work, and 
though Polly made no such promise, her 
enthusiasm was almost equally great. 

Later on the girls found a tiny restau- 
rant in the village where they drank hot 
coffee and ate innumerable dehcious Ger- 
man cookies. For they had left word 
that they were not to be expected at 
home for luncheon, since the best of their 
excursion was to take place after the 
trip to the village. 

For a long time Betty had a place in 
mind she had particularly wished Esther 
and Polly to see and now this was their 
first opportunity since PoUy^s arrival for 
a long walk. 

^^It is only a specially lovely bit of 
woods with a little house inside, which 
looks as though it might be the place 
where the old witch lived in the story 
of ^Hansel and Gretel,' she explained. 
^^The house is built of logs, but there are 
the same tiny wdndow panes and a front 
door with a great bolt across it. It is 
so gloomy and terrifying that it is per- 


116 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


fectly delicious/^ she concluded gaily, for 
they had been walking for some distance 
to get into her enchanted forest and so 
far no sign of it had appeared. Plainly 
the other two girls were growing weary. 

Half an hour later, however, both Esther 
and Polly were sufficiently good sportsmen 
to confess that their long walk had not 
been in vain. For Betty^s forest, as they 
chose to call the place, was entrancingly 
lovely, the greenest, darkest, coolest spot 
in all that country round. And so curiously 
secluded! Hundreds of great forest trees 
and shrubbery so thick that it must have 
been left uncut and untrampled upon for 
many years. Indeed, except for Betty^s 
previous acquaintance with a path that 
led to the house in the woods, there could 
have been no possibility of the girls’ dis- 
covering it. For once having climbed a 
low stone fence, they had seen and heard 
nothing except a solitary deer that had 
fled at their approach and an unusual 
number of wild birds. 

Not far away from the little house 
Polly and Esther found seats within a 
few feet of each other on the trunks of 


AN ADVENTURE 


117 


two old trees, while Betty stretched her- 
seK along the ground, closing her eyes 
as though she had been a veritable Sleep- 
ing Princess. The three girls had no 
thought of being disturbed, for the little 
house was locked and barred and entirely 
deserted. 

Then in the midst of the peace and 
silence of the scene a bullet whistled 
through the air. And following the report 
of a rifle Esther tumbled quietly off her 
resting place. 


CHAPTER XI 


And Its Consequences 

B etty bent over her sister first, 
saying with a kind of quick intake 
of her breath: Esther, what is 
the matter? Are you hurt? Oh, I have 
always been afraid that something dread- 
ful would happen to you, you are so 
good!^’ 

And at this Esther smiled, although 
somewhat faintly, allowing Polly to assist 
her to her feet. 

‘^Well, I am not being punished fw 
my virtues this time, Betty child,^’ she 
answered. ^^I was just a ridiculous cow- 
ard, and when that bullet passed so close 
to my head that I am quite sure it cut 
off a lock of my hair, it made me so faint 
and ill for an instant that I collapsed. I 
am aU right now. But I wonder where 
the shot could have come from?^' 

Then the three girls stood silently lis- 
tening, almost equally pale and shaken 
( 118 ) 


AND ITS CONSEQUENCES 119 


from their recent experience. In another 
moment they heard the noise of some 
one stirring about in the underbrush at 
no great distance away and walking in 
their direction. They waited speechless 
and without moving. 

Then suddenly, before they could see 
the speaker, a voice called out angrily: 

Don’t try to escape; stay where you 
are or I shall fire again. For I wiU not 
endure this lawlessness any longer.” 

And almost immediately a young man 
appeared before them in a hunter’s cos- 
tume of rough gray tweed, carrying his 
gun in his hand. His expression was 
angry and masterful, his face crimson 
and his eyes had ugly lights in their blue 
depths. Yet instantly Esther recognized 
the speaker as the same young feUow 
whom they had met on horseback a week 
or ten days before. 

At his first glance toward Esther and 
Polly his face changed; for obviously he 
was both startled and mystified. Then 
as he caught sight of Betty, who was 
standing just back of the other two girls, 
another wave of crimson crossed his face, 


120 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


but this time it was due to embarrass- 
ment and not anger. With a swift move- 
ment he lifted his hat and bowed so low 
that in an American it would have seemed 
an absurdity. Yet somehow with him the 
movement had both dignity and grace. 
Straightway Polly O^Neill, in spite of her 
vexation, decided that never before had 
she seen a more perfect Prince Charm- 
ing.’’ The young man’s hair was bright 
gold, his skin naturally fair and yet suf- 
ficiently browned from exposure, his fea- 
tures almost classic in shape. And while 
he was not exceptionally tall, his figure 
was that of a young soldier in action 
with the same muscular strength and 
virility. 

“I shall never be able to express to 
you my chagrin and my regret,” he began, 
including the three girls in his speech 
but in reality addressing himself to Betty. 
He spoke English with only the slightest 
foreign accent. These happen to be my 
woods and I have been greatly annoyed 
recently by trespassers who destroy my 
game at a season of the year when there 
can be neither profit nor pleasure in it. 


AND ITS CONSEQUENCES 121 


And this when the park is posted with 
signs warning intruders/^ 

am sorry that we did not chance to 
see the signs,” Esther murmured. 

^^You can understand that we are 
strangers in this neighborhood, Amer- 
icans,” Polly defended more hotly. “But 
of course we should not have wandered 
in here without inquiring of some one 
whether or not we had the privilege. In 
the United States we know very little 
about game preserves and people are will- 
ing to have you enjoy the beauty of their 
forests. But we shall leave immediately 
and proimise never to trouble you again.” 

“But that means that you have not 
forgiven me and I ask your pardon with 
all my heart. It is my pride, my great 
pleasure to have you consider my place 
worthy of your attention. Miss Ashton,” 
the young foreigner now turned directly 
to Betty, “surely you can appreciate and 
pardon my mistake.” 

Neither of the other two girls had been 
paying any special attention to Betty, but 
at the stranger^s surprising knowledge of 
her name they turned toward her at once. 


122 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


And both decided that they had never 
seen her look so pretty or so angry in 
her life. Apparently she had not spoken 
before because she had not been willing 
to trust herself. And Polly had a sudden 
sense of satisfaction in the knowledge 
that the Princess did not lose her poise and 
self-control in her anger, as she so in- 
variably did. 

^^You ask us to understand and par- 
don your mistake,’’ Betty now began 
quietly. ^^But suppose that the bullet 
which you fired so carelessly had killed 
my sister. Would you still have expected 
us to make the same answer? Of course 
we are just as much intruders upon your 
property as if we were men instead of 
American girls. But I presume that when 
you fired, thinking that we might be 
poachers, you would have been indifferent 
had you wounded one of us. For I believe 
in Germany it is the fashion for the sol- 
diers who are intended for the defense of 
their country to have little respect for the 
lives of their countrymen.” 

This was a long and bitter speech for 
a young girl to have made. But remem- 


AND ITS CONSEQUENCES 123 


ber that Betty Ashton had been living 
in Germany for the past two years at a 
time when the army had been frequently 
criticized and had suffered just as most 
travelers do from the rudeness of German 
officers upon the streets and in places of 
public amusement. Moreover, she had 
not yet recovered from her moment of 
fright over Esther and was annoyed at 
having their pleasure so destroyed. 

Her accusation so surprised the young 
man to whom it was addressed that for 
a moment he did not reply. For evidently 
he did not often find himself obliged to 
be placed on the defensive side in a dis- 
cussion and the position did not please 
him. 

“I regret to have frightened you. And 
I had no intention of injuring any one,^^ 
he remarked stiffly. ^Tt was my plan 
to fire into the air, but I stumbled at 
the critical moment. However, I did 
not suppose that the shot came anywhere 
in your direction. And I am sorry that 
you should consider this but another in- 
stance of the lack of courtesy in His 
Majesty^s officers.’^ 


124 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


There was an awkward pause. Betty 
was holding her big flowered hat pressed 
close against her white dress, her lips were 
scarlet and her face so pale that her gray 
eyes looked almost smoke-colored. The 
wind and the long walk had loosened her 
hair until it was curling and blowing 
about her forehead like tiny red-gold clouds. 
Honestly no young man could have re- 
mained angry with her for any great 
length of time. 

She slipped one arm through Esther^s, 
as Esther had continued white and nerv- 
ous, and beckoning Polly with the other 
to join them, with the merest inclination 
of her head the Princess started to lead 
the little company away. But before she 
had gone more than a few feet she stopped 
and turned around. 

The young man was standing exactly 
where they had left him with his hat 
still in his hand and his face and figure 
rigid. 

Betty advanced nearer toward him. 

Lieutenant von Reuter, she said, ^'it 
is I who must now beg your pardon. 
You were kind to me once when my maid 


AND ITS CONSEQUENCES 125 


and I lost our way in trying to find the 
village of Waldheim. But under no cir- 
cumstances should I have said anything 
that reflected upon you or your friends. 
I know that you are an officer in the 
German army, so naturally you must 
think as little of American courtesy as — 
But not knowing just how to end her 
sentence Betty did the wisest possible 
thing and smiled. 

And at once the young man was figura- 
tively on his knees before her again. 
“Don^t go away just yet,’^ he pleaded; 
'^you must know that I have been asking 
my cousin Frederick about you. It is 
he who has told me your name and he 
must also have spoken of me to you. 
You yourselves have said that it was 
lovely here in my forest and surely you 
must be weary enough to remain a little 
time longer. It is not as though we were 
entire strangers, with Frederick your friend 
and my relative.’^ 

This time Betty laughed outright. 
“Your cousin is scarcely our friend; we 
have only boarded in the same pension 
with him in Berlin while my sister was 


126 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


there studying music.” She looked a 
little more searchingly at Esther. Esther 
had not been very well for several weeks 
and now certainly was unfit for the long 
walk home in the hottest part of the 
afternoon without more rest. 

With an inclination of her pretty head 
the Princess surrendered. 

^Hf you really are sure that you wonH 
mind we should like to sit here in the 
shade a little longer,” she confessed. 
^^That is if we will not trouble you. You 
must not feel that you must remain with 
us, for I promise that we shall do nothing 
any harm.” 

Without replying, Carl von Reuter then 
led Esther to her discarded tree trunk, 
the other girls having already found seats. 

^Hf you will be good enough to wait 
for a few moments I should like very 
much to bring you some tea. The little 
house there is my hunting lodge and I 
have aU sorts of bachelor arrangements 
inside,” he announced. And the sug- 
gestion was far too welcome for any one 
of the girls to decline. 

Then in the five minutes of the young 


AND ITS CONSEQUENCES 127 


man’s absence as rapidly as possible Betty 
sketched the outline of her acquaintance 
with him and the knowledge of his history 
which she had since been able to acquire. 
He was the son of the German count 
whose stone castle they had seen, and of 
course the heir to the title and estate. 
He was also, as she had already revealed, 
a lieutenant in the German army and 
probably about twenty-two or -three years 
old. The family was a very old and proud 
one and although they still owned a great 
deal of land, they were extremely poor. 

But Betty had to cease her confidences 
abruptly, seeing that their imexpected host 
was coming toward them with four cups 
of tea and a tray of small crackers and 
cakes. 

No American man could have performed 
these small social services with so little 
embarrassment, but as Carl explained he 
had had an English mother and had been 
taught to assist her with their guests from 
the time he was a boy. 

And by the time the tea had been drunk 
and the cakes eaten the little company 
had apparently reached terms of complete 


128 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


friendliness, having already forgotten their 
uncomfortable earlier meeting. 

“I am dreadfully sorry to find that 
your little house in the woods is nothing 
but a hunting lodge,” Betty confided. 
“For you see I have been telling my 
sister and Miss O^Neill that this place 
was a kind of enchanted forest where 
^Hansel and GreteF must once upon a 
time have lost their way.” 

However, Carl von Reuter shook his 
head protestingly. “Why not think of 
it instead as Siegfried^s forest before he 
went forth in search of Brunhilde.” 

“Won^t you tell us the story of Sieg- 
fried?” Polly asked. “I have never heard 
the opera and it has been such a long 
time since I read it.” 

Carl laughed. “I am a soldier, not a 
poet,” he explained, “and the legend is 
too long and too complicated for me to 
repeat all of it to you. Besides, you are 
sure to recall it as soon as I begin. Sieg- 
fried, you remember, was the son of Sieg- 
mund and Sieglinde and the youth who 
knew no fear. He is brought up in a 
forest by a wicked dwarf named Mime, 


AND ITS CONSEQUENCES 129 


who desires that Siegfried wrest the magic 
treasure of the Nibelung from the giant 
Fafnir who guards it in the gaping cave 
of the Niedhole. With the sword of his 
father Siegfried goes forth and destroys 
the giant and then appears wearing the 
glittering tarn helmet, the invincible armor 
and the magic ring. From the blood of 
the dead Fafnir, with which Siegfried 
touches his lips, he is enabled to under-^ 
stand the voices of birds. And when one 
of these sings to him of a maiden sur- 
rounded by flames who can be won only 
by the man who knows no fear, Siegfried 
sets out in search of Brimhilde. On a 
grassy mound he discovers a sleeping 
figure clad in armor and surrounded by 
flames. Removing the shield and helmet, 
he sees a flood of red-gold hair rippling 
around the form of a sleeping woman. 

The story teller stopped and Esther 
inquired: 

^^You know the story of Siegfried so 
well, I wonder if you sing?^^ 

^^Not very well,^’ the young man replied. 
And then, as though to disprove his own 
words and without further urging, he began 


130 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


singing in a fine, clear tenor, glancing 
now and then toward Betty Ashton, the 
beautiful song of Siegfried^s that awakens 
the sleeping Brunhilde: 

**No man it is! 

Hallowed rapture 
Thrills through my heart; 

Fiery anguish 
Enfolds my eyes. 

My senses wander 
And waver. 

Whom shall I summon 
Hither to help me? 

Mother, mother! 

Be mindful of me.^^ 

Later in the afternoon when they had 
almost reached their own cottage in the 
woods, Betty suddenly slipped an arm 
across her older sister^s shoulder. Polly 
had already said good-by. 

After all we did discover a kind of 
enchanted forest, didn’t we, Esther?” she 
whispered. 

But Esther was tired and annoyed. 

Lieutenant von Reuter was an agreeable 
enough fellow for a foreigner, if that is 
what you mean, Betty,” she returned. 


AND ITS CONSEQUENCES 131 


I got rather tired of his telling us 
the story of Siegfried which I certainly 
knew perfectly well. Besides, it seemed 
to me that he was trying to make an 
impression upon us. And I shall never, 
never be able to understand how you can 
like these German youths so much. I 
should feel a great deal happier about 
you and so would your brother if you 
were safely back in Woodford.’’ 

Don’t be a goose, dear,” was Betty’s 
only answer. 


CHAPTER XII 


The Uncertain Future 

iij : xiVE you ever wished some days 
I ' that you were nine years old 
^ " instead of nineteen, Miss Adams 

— ^Margaret?” Polly O’Neill corrected her- 
self hastily. 

The girl and the older woman were 
sitting out in the yard in front of their 
funny little German cottage one afternoon 
just before tvdlight. Polly had been read- 
ing aloud until the dusk had settled down 
too thickly, and since then had been 
silent, gazing pensively at the far line of 
hills toward the west. 

Margaret Adams looked closely at the 
girl before replying. For the past few 
days she had seen that there was something 
unusual weighing upon Polly’s mind, since 
she was never able to conceal her emo- 
tions, and had wondered whether she 
was feeling homesick or if something had 
occurred to worry her. But she only 

( 132 ) 


THE UNCERTAIN FUTURE 133 


answered lightly: “No, Polly, I am afraid 
when one is thirty-five one is more apt 
to wish to be nineteen than nine. But 
would you like to tell me, dear, what 
special objection there is to your present 
age? Don^t, if you feel that you would 
rather not, or if you would be betraying 
a confidence.’^ 

But Polly gave a characteristic shrug. 
“No,” she returned, “I would not be 
betraying a confidence, only an imagina- 
tion, and since the imagination happens 
to be my own, I suppose I have the right 
to betray it.” 

Not comprehending exactly what the 
younger girl was trying to say and yet 
understanding that she would make her- 
self plain later on, the woman quietly 
waited. She was interested in the proc- 
esses of Polly’s mind and liked to see 
them work themselves out. 

“Do you like foreign men?” was the 
girl’s next apparently irrevelant question. 

But by this time Miss Adams had begun 
to have a faint suspicion of what might 
be at the end of her companion’s confes- 
sion. For in the past two weeks since 


134 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


Polly^s, Betty^s and Esther’s visit to the 
German forest, she too had become inter- 
ested in some of its consequences. Yet 
she answered with entire truthfulness: 

^^Why, of course, Polly child, I like 
foreign men. Why should not one? It 
is absurd and prejudiced to like or dis- 
like a person because of his nationality; 
it is the man’s own character that coimts.” 

^^Oh, yes, I know that is what one 
should feel and say. I don’t mean to be 
rude,” Polly added quickly, blushing over 
her fatal habit of saying whatever was 
uppermost in her mind. “I was just 
wondering whether it was actually true. 
Don’t most of us really in the end like 
best the kind of people and life to which 
we have been accustomed. Now, for 
example, just suppose that we take a girl 
who has been brought up in the United 
States almost all her life, where she 
has had boy acquaintances and friends 
whom she has known in a simple, intimate 
way, without thinking of any one of them 
seriously. Then bring her to a foreign 
country, take Germany, just when she is 
about grown. All of a sudden imagine 


THE UNCERTAIN FUTURE 135 


a young fellow turning up entirely unlike 
her old boy friends, handsome, charming 
and behaving as though he were falling 
in love with her. Do you believe that 
the girl could honestly care for him? 
DonT you think that it would just be 
a mistaken fancy on her part and that 
some day when she grew older she would 
want her old friends and associations again. 
Why, she might even meet one of her 
former acquaintances and find that she 
liked him best, because after all he was 
also an American and thought about life 
and women and lots of other things more 
in the way that she did.’’ 

Margaret Adams covered both ears with 
her hands. “My dear Polly,” she began, 
^4f you think I have imagination enough 
to follow all those supposings and all 
those mixed-up sentences and ideas, you 
must consider me cleverer than I am. 
But as long as I happen to be able to 
guess whom you are talking about, don’t 
you think we might be straightforward. 
We will never speak of it to any one else, 
nor to each other if it seems wiser not. 
But of course you mean ” 


136 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


Betty finished Polly. And then sigh- 
ing profoundly: ^^You see, ever since our 
meeting in the woods the other day with 
Carl von Reuter he has been coming to 
see Betty. He brought his father, the 
old count, to call on Mrs. Ashton and 
has been sending Betty flowers and they 
have been riding together and he does 
not even pretend not to admire her tre- 
mendously. He makes Esther and me 
perfectly miserable, for you see Germans 
seem so different from Americans, so senti- 
mental and silly, I think. Why, I over- 
heard Lieutenant von Reuter calling Betty 
Brunhilde, and instead of being bored 
she actually appeared pleased. Esther 
and I canT understand it. Of course 
we realize that it is absurd to believe 
that people can learn to care for each 
other in two weeks, yet just the same 
Betty is behaving strangely. And Esther 
wonders if it is her duty to speak to 
Richard Ashton before things go any 
further. Mrs. Ashton would be no good; 
she is too pleased over Betty^s being 
admired by a member of the German 
nobility. She would never be able to 


THE UNCERTAIN FUTURE 137 


see all the mischief that might result 
from it. But then Esther and Dick 
Ashton are not friends as they once were. 
Dick has hardly anything to do with 
Esther nowadays — even leaves on an earlier 
train the mornings that she has to go 
into Berlin for her music lessons. And 
yet when Esther first came to live with 
Mrs. Ashton, when she was a hundred 
times less attractive than she is now, 
why he was kinder to her than any of 
the rest of us. Oh me, oh my, it is a 
strange world!’’ And down went PoUy’s 
chin into the palm of her hand in a char- 
acteristic manner. 

For a moment Margaret Adams did not 
reply. For perhaps a good deal better 
than PoUy she appreciated the disaster 
that might result from the present circum- 
stances. Betty was only nineteen and of 
course Polly was right in presuming that 
she could hardly know her own mind. 
And yet the romance and beauty of her 
surroundings, the good looks of the young 
lieutenant with the glamour of his title 
and position, were sufficiently strong influ- 
ences to affect a much older person. 


138 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


Yet notwithstanding Betty’s beauty and 
charm, Miss Adams did not have the same 
uneasiness that Esther and Polly suffered. 
For she did not believe that Lieutenant 
von Reuter could marry a girl without a 
dower, no matter what his personal in- 
clination might be. And Betty had no 
money and so far as any one knew no 
chance of receiving any amount except 
what her brother and sister might some 
day be able to earn. The danger that 
the older woman dreaded was that Betty 
herself might possibly misunderstand the 
young foreigner’s attentions and that she 
might learn to care for him more than 
would be wise for her happiness. 

Frowning, Miss Adams waited for a 
moment without speaking. And yet she 
looked so entirely interested and sym- 
pathetic that Polly dropped to the ground 
at her feet, taking one of her slim hands 
in hers and pressing it softly to her lips. 
For it was wonderfully kind of this famous 
lady to have forgotten herself so com- 
pletely that she felt as deep a concern 
over Betty Ashton as though she had 
known her all her life. 


THE UNCERTAIN FUTURE 139 


was Betty herseK who told me 
that young Count von Reuter had been 
brought up with the idea that he must 
marry a wealthy girl. Don’t you suppose 
that she understands that anything else 
is impossible for him?” she asked. “The 
family is deeply in debt and even if the 
young man had the faintest knowledge of 
any kind of work it would be regarded 
as a disgrace for him to engage in it. 
Besides, he has chosen his career of a 
soldier, which also requires a fortune back 
of him. Don’t you think we might be 
able to make Betty see this, even sup- 
posing that she does not already appre- 
ciate it?” Margaret Adams finally inquired. 

“I don’t know,” Polly answered. “For 
you see, Margaret, it is like this. All her 
life Betty Ashton has never known any- 
thing but love and admiration. Why, 
when we were little children and began 
having beaux that nobody knew about 
except just ourselves, we always expected 
the admirers to be Betty’s and were 
surprised when they were not. Oh, I 
don’t mean that she expected it. The 
Princess used to be spoiled in lots of ways 


140 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


before our Camp Fire club and the change 
in their family fortunes, but she never has 
been silly or vain. Then when we grew 
up together it was pretty much the same 
thing. I remember how cross I once 
was in Woodford because a young fellow 
there, who was not Betty^s equal then in 
any kind of way, in money or family or 
education, had the presumption to feel a 
kind of fancy for her. But now I wish 
that he or John Everett or any one of our 
old friends would turn up here and show 
her how much nicer an American fellow is. 
Any old kind of an American!’^ Polly 
ended almost viciously. 

Miss Adams laughed, touching the girks 
dark braids of hair and looking closely 
into her emotional, sensitive face. 

^^DonT let us worry before it is neces- 
sary,’’ she suggested. ^^But tell me, Polly, 
and I am not asking you for curiosity, 
with all these admirers whom you insist 
your beloved Betty has had, hasn’t there 
ever been any one who has cared for 
you and whom you may some day care 
for?” 

For the moment the unexpectedness of 


THE UNCERTAIN FUTURE 141 


this question took PoUy^s breath. And 
then to her deep chagrin she felt herself 
blushing, even while vigorously shaking 
her head in denial. 

And yet at the same time in her intense 
desire to be perfectly straightforward with 
her new friend she was wondering if her 
denial had been entirely truthful. Or 
was it her duty to confess Billy Webster’s 
stupidity? 

There was some one once,” she mur- 
mured after her little period of hesitar- 
tion had passed. “But really, Margaret, 
he did not care for me a bit; he only 
wanted to manage me. And I — didn’t 
care for him in the least. I never shall 
care for anybody,” Polly insisted with 
the absolute conviction of youth. 

Then completely forgetting everybody 
and everything else, Polly O’Neill put 
both arms about her slender knees and 
there on the grass at the feet of the great 
Miss Adams began slowly swaying herself 
backwards and forwards as she always 
had ever since she was a little girl when 
in the thrall of some dominant idea. 

She did not look at Miss Adams; she 


142 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


did not even look at the hills or tr®es, 
nor feel the summer darkness that was 
beginning to close about them like a soft 
cloak. For Polly was having one of her 
moments when the things inside her mind 
were so much more visible and important 
to her than any outside scene. Never 
since leaving New York had she mentioned 
to Miss Adams her own desire to go upon 
the stage. It had not seemed fair to 
take advantage of her friend’s kindness 
by annoying her with her own ambition. 
For it might look as though she expected 
or hoped for aid and advice from Miss 
Adams’ friendship. But tonight Polly 
had forgotten her past resolutions and 
reserves. 

shall not care for anyone, Margaret,, 
because you know in another year I in- 
tend either going upon the stage in some 
little part, or if mother will give me the 
money, I shall go to a dramatic school. 
For I am going to make the stage my 
career whether I succeed or fail.” There 
was a catch in the girl’s breath and al- 
though it was too dark to see her face, 
the older woman could imagine the glow 


THE UNCERTAIN FUTURE 143 


in her cheeks and the light in her curious 
blue eyes. She looked like an elf or a 
sprite, something born of the woods or 
the sky and hardly an ordinary flesh-and- 
blood girl, as she sat in her curious posi- 
tion, dreamily rocking herself back and 
forth in the evening dusk and silence. 

suppose there are some women great 
enough to have a career and to marry 
besides,’’ she added so solemnly that Miss 
Adams did not dare smile, ^^but I don’t 
believe I am one of them. And I want 
a career. Yet it is odd, isn’t it? I don’t 
think I have any special talent and Esther 
Crippen is so talented we think she is 
almost a genius. I wish you could hear 
her sing, but she is too afraid of you yet. 
Nevertheless Esther does not want to be 
famous one bit and Betty and I don’t 
even dare mention the word 'career’ before 
her. I am sure she would much rather 
marry some day and have babies and 
sing to her husband and to them, or 
perhaps in a church where no one would 
think much about her. For she does 
love her music for itself.” 

''But why then does she go on work- 


144 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


ing so intensely, if she does not intend 
making a profession of her singing? The 
poor child is actually wearing herself out,” 
Miss Adams avowed. 

^^Why, don’t you know?” Polly faced 
her companion and though it was now 
almost entirely dark, they could yet catch 
the outlines of each other’s faces. Esther 
Crippen does not care for money for her- 
self, but she cares for it beyond anything 
for Betty. You see, she and Betty were 
separated during all their childhood and 
now that they have found each other 
again Esther fairly worships her sister. 
She is going to earn all the money she 
can with her voice so as to be able to 
lavish on Betty the things that she used 
to have when the Ashtons were rich. 
Of course Betty does not know that this 
is the chief reason that is urging Esther 
to sacrifice everything in the world for 
her work. For naturally Betty thinks 
that Esther has so wonderful a talent 
that she ought to wish to cultivate it for 
its own sake. And so does their father, 
Herr Crippen. I believe he has the feel- 
ing that he has failed with his own music, 


THE UNCERTAIN FUTURE 145 


but that if Esther succeeds in some way 
it will redeem his failure. In a way it 
does seem rather hard upon Esther if 
she should ever happen to fall in love.^^ 
But before Miss Adams could answer 
her maid had announced an unexpected 
visitor. 


CHAPTER XIII 


Richard Ashton 

E sther CRIPPEN ran out of the 
front door of their little house with 
her coat still on her arm, so great 
was her hurry. 

'^Dr. Ashton, she called several times. 
And at last the young man striding on 
ahead turned and glanced back in surprise. 
Esther was carrying her usual music roll, 
a book and a box of lunch which she 
always bore into town on her lesson days. 
Richard Ashton took these from her. 

^^I beg your pardon, Esther. I did not 
know that you were going in on the early 
train or of course I should have waited. 
What is taking you in so soon? Have 
you a special appointment?’’ 

And Esther could only blush and stam- 
mer nervously. For intimately as she 
had known Dick Ashton, hving in the 
same house with him for several years 
in a curious position as though she were 

( 146 ) 


RICHARD ASHTON 


147 


a member of his family yet without any 
real bond of relationship between them^ 
she could not now quietly tell him that 
she was taking this train into town because 
she wished to accompany him. At one 
time in their acquaintance this would 
have been a simple and natural enough 
confession, but recently Dick Ashton had 
been so unlike his former self. Or at 
least if he had not changed personally, 
his manner toward her was different. And 
in these weeks in the country when Esther 
had been pondering over the change it 
had seemed to her that she could almost 
remember the day and hour when the 
transformation began. 

Now as Esther made no reply to his 
question Richard Ashton looked at her 
more steadily. He was a physician and 
the girFs pallor and weariness were more 
conspicuous to him than to other people, 
although he was not alone in noticing it. 

There isn’t any point in your going 
into the city at daybreak for these sing- 
ing lessons of yours,” the young man 
protested in a friendly tone. should 
think that your wretched old Professor 


148 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


would have brains enough to know that 
you won^t do him or yourself half as 
much credit if he wears you out com- 
pletely before the date of his concert. 
When does it take place?^^ 

^^In October/’ Esther returned, appar- 
ently with little interest. However, Dick 
was walking her toward the station with 
such rapidity that she had little breath 
for any other exertion. And yet they 
had plenty of time, there was no reason 
for such hurry. The young man himself 
did not seem to be aware of their haste. 

^^Look here, Esther,” he began a little 
later, “I am glad of this chance for our 
having a talk together. There is some- 
thing that I have had on my mind to 
say for some time without having had 
the courage or the opportimity.” 

Just for the moment Esther’s pallor 
left her, a slight flush coming into her 
cheeks and her lips parting. 

^'You see, I think it will be better 
for you to break the news to mother and 
Betty than for me to speak of it first,” 
he continued. “But I — have got to 
go back to the United States this autumn 


RICHARD ASHTON 


149 


for good. I have spent all the time 
studying over here that I have the right 
to spend and if ever I am to make a suc- 
cess of my profession I have to get down 
to hard work building up a practice. 
I suppose they will both take it kind of 
hard, my deserting them in this way,, 
but they must have anticipated it.” 

In reply Esther^s voice was less inter- 
ested and sympathetic than Dick Ashton 
was accustomed to hearing it. 

^^Why, I don’t believe they will mind 
half so much as you think; at any rate 
your mother will not,” she returned. 
have heard Mrs. Ashton say half a dozen 
times lately that she wished we were 
all to go home when Polly and Miss 
Adams sail in November. And as far 
as Betty is concerned I shall be glad to 
have you take her back with you.” 

^^Take Betty home with me!” Dick 
Ashton’s exclamation was in itself a denial 
of any such intention. “Why, Esther, 1 
hadn’t the faintest thought of either mother 
or the Princess coming along with me. 
You don’t mean that Professor Heck- 
sher has suggested that you take a rest 


150 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


and that you are going to see your 
father?’^ 

With a frown and a sudden newous 
movement of her hands Esther shook her 
head. But they were now within sight 
of their little station, where several other 
passengers were waiting and no other 
w^ord of intimate conversation was possible 
between them until they were on the 
train. And Esther made no protest when 
Dick, in spite of their poverty, discarding 
his regular ticket, bought seats for them 
both in an empty first-class coach. There 
they could be alone and without inter- 
ruption. And there was no denying that 
their conversation, which had just been 
broken off so abruptly, must be continued 
as soon as possible. They were both too 
full of things too long left unsaid. 

^^Of course you know. Dr. Ashton, that 
there is not the remotest chance of my 
going back home for a long time,’^ Esther 
went on when once again they were set- 
tled, just as though no interruption to 
their talk had ever taken place. ^^For 
you see after I make my debut at this 
concert I have to go on studying. I have 


RICHARD ASHTON 


151 


even to make a reputation here in Europe 
if I can before I return to the United 
States. Professor Hecksher says that it 
is absolutely necessary, and he is willing 
to help me get engagements to earn some 
money, so I shall not continue to be so 
dreadful an expense.’^ 

Sounds rather glorious, doesn^t it, 
Esther, fame and fortune all ready and 
waiting to drop at your feet? What a 
wonderful thing it is to be born into this 
world with a great talent and how it must 
make you look down on us poor mortals 
who have to grind and grind for just a 
bare existence. I^U be proud some day 
to say that I have had the honor of know- 
ing you. You won’t forget we were 
acquaintances, will you, Esther?” the young 
man concluded, it was hard to tell whether 
in bitterness or joking. 

And his companion turned her face 
away, pretending to glance out of the 
car window at the uninteresting stretch 
of country and the rapidly disappearing 
telegraph poles. 

shall never forget that I was a girl 
being raised in an orphan asylum and 


152 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


that your mother took me to her home 
and did what she could to give me my 
first start in learning to sing, if that is 
what you mean, Dr. Ashton,’’ Esther 
continued. Neither can I forget what 
you have always done for Betty, though 
I feel of course that Betty will more than 
repay all the people who love her. But 
if you mean that you only wish us to be 
acquaintances in the future, why — ” But 
in spite of her strong effort at self-control 
Esther’s lips were trembling and the tears 
gathering in her eyes. 

Nevertheless she made no effort at with- 
drawal when Dick Ashton for an instant 
placed his hands over her own tightly 
clasped ones. 

^^You are not playing fair, Esther,” he 
urged, ^Tor you know in your heart that 
I meant no such thing.” 

Then both the girl and the man were 
silent with the vision of their possible 
futures before them. If only Dick Ash- 
ton could have asked Esther to give up 
the career ahead of her, to renounce her 
music, to come back home with him to 
the United States to be his wife. But 


RICHARD ASHTON 


153 


what had he to offer in exchange for these 
great sacrifices? He was a penniless young 
doctor without more than a hundred dol- 
lars in the world once he had paid his 
passage home and set up some kind of 
office. Moreover, suppose he should win 
patients and success sooner than other 
men? Did he not owe his first earnings 
to his mother and to his sister, Betty, 
whose courage and resourcefulness had 
helped him prepare for his career? Be- 
sides, what did Esther not also feel that 
she owed to this same sister? Plainly 
she had let him know her views on that 
afternoon some time ago when he had 
tried dissuading her from making her 
debut if the thought of a professional life 
made her unhappy. Esther had then 
said that she felt that she must work 
until she was able to take care of herself 
and Betty and even to assist her father 
and new stepmother. For Herr Crippen 
was growing older and had nothing except 
what he earned by his music pupils. No, 
Esther^s way was straight before her and 
one owed it to a great talent like hers 
to make the best of it. She had never 


154 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


manifested for Richard Ashton more than 
a warm friendliness which was natural 
enough to their position. Neither had he 
ever given Esther any reason to believe 
that the old kindness and sympathy which 
he had once felt for her had deepened into 
emotions much stronger. Yet, to him 
Esther^s plain face, with its pallor and 
serious sweetness, with its big mouth and 
splendidly modeled lips was more beautiful 
than all his sister Betty’s vivid prettiness. 

Betty!” The thought of her brought 
him back to the every-day world again. 
He laughed good-humoredly. 

Esther, Betty has everlastingly been 
saying that you had a perfectly deter- 
mined passion for sacrificing yourself. 
Please get it out of your head at once 
that I have the faintest idea of taking 
Mistress Betty home with me. For if 
ever you needed her in all your life it 
seems to me you will need her in the next 
few years. And as long as half your 
effort is being made for her sake don’t 
you think that she might at least be 
allowed to stand shoulder to shoulder 
with you? The Princess is rather a nice 


RICHARD ASHTON 


155 


person, you know, Esther, in spite of us, 
and I donT believe that all the pleading 
in the world that I could do would per- 
suade her to desert yon” 

^^But it must,’^ Esther replied so 
solemnly that Richard Ashton stared at 
her in fresh astonishment. For now that 
they were talking of Betty and not of 
herself she was looking directly at him. 

^^You see, it is for just this reason 
that I wanted to talk to you alone,’’ 
Esther went on hurriedly. ^^Of course 
I may be mistaken or perhaps I have 
not exactly the right to interfere, but 
I am awfully afraid, Dick, that Betty 
is learning to care for that young German 
fellow, Carl von Reuter. Oh, I can under- 
stand that you may consider it absurd 
of me to be so suspicious, because Betty 
has been having dozens of admirers rver 
since we came to Germany. But I am 
sure this affair is quite different. In the 
first place the man himself is so much 
more attractive. He is heir to an old 
title and ” 

^^But Betty could not be such an utter 
goose as to care about a title,” Dick in- 


156 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


terrupted; ^^and this fellow is as poor as 
a church mouse and she has only known 
him a few weeks. Don^t you think it 
is rather looking for trouble? Why, I 
shouldnT dream of allowing Betty to con- 
sider the fellow seriously. IT tell him 
not to come to the house again, as I did 
that other youth, if you say the word. 
Anyhow, I’ll give Betty a piece of my 
mind tonight.” 

You won’t do any such a thing, Richard 
Ashton,” Esther remarked firmly, actually 
shaking the young man’s arm to express 
her scorn of his stupidity, ^Tor if you 
do you will involve us all in a great deal 
of discomfort if nothing worse. In the 
first place I don’t think Betty yet dreams 
that she is beginning to care seriously 
for this young German and perhaps she 
won’t if no one says anything to her. 
But from what PoUy and I have seen 
she does like him a great deal already and 
she tries to see him by himself with- 
out Polly or me. And you know that 
isn’t in the least like the Princess. But 
she is awfully interested in her Camp 
Fire club in the village and perhaps if 


RICHARD ASHTON 


157 


you take her home pretty soon nothing 
serious will happen. Lieutenant von Reuter 
is awfully poor, I know, and everybody 
says he simply has to marry a rich girl. 
But I don’t know which I should hate 
the most: to have Betty care for him 
and he not return her affection or to have 

them both care and ” 

^^For goodness’ sake, don’t say another 
word, Esther, or I shall take the next 
train back home and sit and watch every 
breath Betty draws for the rest of the 
day,” Dick answered miserably. Please 
remember that I have a particularly hard 
lecture on anatomy in another hour. But 
I shall meet you on the train going out 
this afternoon and perhaps we can think 
up some plan of campaign together.” 


CHAPTER XIV 


Betty’s Strange Disappearance 

W HEN Dick and Esther returned 
home just before dusk on that 
same afternoon, Betty was not 
there. They found Mrs. Ashton in tears 
from nervousness and fright, Polly O’Neill 
divided between anger and solicitude, and 
only Miss Adams sufficiently composed to 
have been making the necessary investi- 
gations. 

So far as the newcomers could learn 
Betty had left the cottage at about eleven 
o’clock in the morning to go to the vil- 
lage of Waldheim for the work with the 
Camp Fire club which she had recently 
organized. But instead of waiting for 
Polly to accompany her after their regular 
custom she had seemed restless and in 
a most unusual hurry, and when Polly 
happened to be ten or fifteen minutes 
late for their appointment, Betty had gone 
off without her, taking their little German 

(158) 


BETTY^S DISAPPEARANCE 159 

maid-of-all-work as her companion for the 
walk. 

Afterwards the maid had reported that 
das Frdulein had arrived safely at the 
school and had joined her German friend, 
who was learning the business of a Camp 
Fire guardian. Later the girl had returned 
home expecting Betty to appear at lunch 
time; but it was now half-past five and 
no word had come from her, notwith- 
standing that several hours before Mrs. 
Ashton herself had gone into Waldheim 
and learned that Betty had presiunably 
started for the cottage a short time after 
noon. 

She had no other acquaintances in the 
village to detain her, so that the mystery 
of her disappearance was complete. There 
were, however, several persons who claimed 
to have seen her leaving for home at about 
the accustomed hour. 

Naturally for the first few moments 
after their arrival both Dick and Esther 
were more astounded and stunned over 
the Princess' unaccountable behavior than 
frightened. For it seemed impossible to 
imagine that anything serious could have 


160 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


happened to her. Yet ten minutes later 
both the girl and man were suffering from 
even greater apprehension than Mrs. Ash- 
ton had endured. For whatever had in- 
duced Betty to attempt the walk from 
the village to their cottage alone? Of 
course the neighborhood in which they 
were spending the summer was presumably 
a quiet and peaceful one; still the two 
older women and Richard Ashton had 
objected to any one of the girls going 
any distance from their homes without 
companionship. And Betty was ordinarily 
obedient to her mother^s slightest wish, 
fearing to cause her anxiety. 

Rather helplessly Richard Ashton turned 
toward Margaret Adams, as a stranger 
is oftentimes of more use in an emergency 
of this kind than a member of one’s own 
family. 

had better go down to the village 
at once, don’t you think?” he suggested. 

There must be police, some one to whom 
I can appeal for assistance. If we were 
only in our own country one would know 
so readily what to do.” 

will go with you, Dick,” Polly an- 


BETTY’S DISAPPEARANCE 161 


swered, beginning to put on her hat and 
light wrap. ^^No, Esther dear, you look 
tired to death already and some one must 
stay here with Mrs. Ashton and Mar- 
garet. In all probability Betty will return 
before we are able to get back.” 

Esther had gone to their front door to 
look out, but at Polly’s words she re- 
turned and faced Mrs. Ashton. 

Don’t you think we had best find 
Lieutenant von Reuter and ask his as- 
sistance?” she volunteered. ^'We know 
no one in this part of the country who 
would have so much influence. If Betty 
has lost her way, if the woods have to be 
searched, why no one could give us such 
valuable aid.” 

Mrs. Ashton’s expression changed; she 
looked much relieved. Esther dear, you 
are such a comfort. Why in the world 
did I not think of that idea at once? 
Lieutenant von Reuter is such a friend of 
Betty’s and of mine that I am sure he 
will tell us what to do, even if he is unable 
to discover Betty himself.” She put her 
hand on her son’s shoulder, for Dick 
Ashton was growing more and more stem 


11 


162 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


and uneasy. Don’t you think you had 
best drive up to the castle and see him 
yourself? Of if you could telephone that 
would be quicker.” 

dislike very much asking a stranger 
to have any part in a family affair of 
this kind, mother,” Dick answered severely. 

have met Lieutenant von Reuter only 
two or three times and it surprises me 
to find that you appear to regard an 
acquaintance of a few weeks as a friend. 
I shall prefer to make my own investi- 
gations first without asking his advice.” 

So accustomed was Mrs. Ashton to 
yielding to her son’s wishes that for the 
moment, although she was plainly uncon- 
vinced of his wisdom, she seemed about 
to give up. However, Esther Crippen 
laid her hand quietly on Richard Ash- 
ton’s arm. “Please, please,” she whis- 
pered so faintly that no one else could 
catch her exact words, “don’t let anything 
that I have been saying to you today 
influence you or keep you from following 
the wisest course. Mrs. Ashton and I 
are right. And besides,” Esther’s voice 
trembled in spite of her effort at self- 


BETTY’S DISAPPEARANCE 163 


control, must find Betty no matter 
what method we use. I am afraid she 
has been taken ill and is among stran- 
gers, unable to let us hear. I — can’t 
imagine what else could have occurred.” 

Dick’s face softened. Why did Esther’s 
advice always seem to him so much more 
admirable and intelligent than other per- 
sons’? Possibly because she so seldom 
thought first of herself! 

^^Dr. Ashton, do hurry,” PoUy O’NeiU 
now urged impatiently. want to 

study every foot of the way from here 
into Waldheim before it grows too dark 
for me to see. If our Camp Fire training 
only wiU come to our aid! For if Betty 
has lost her way, surely she ought to be 
able to give us one of our old signals 
which we may recognize.” 

She was hurrying out of the door when 
Margaret Adams, who was sitting next 
Mrs. Ashton, trying to soothe the older 
woman’s nervousness, said in a voice whose 
thrilling and sympathetic quality never 
failed to hold any audience that heard it. 
^'Please wait for a moment. Dr. Ashton 
and Polly. There is something I want 


164 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


you to hear — a confession I must make. 
Earlier this afternoon when we first began 
to feel afraid that Betty was not coming 
home it occurred to me that perhaps 
Lieutenant von Reuter might know some- 
thing about her. You must not think 
I intended being officious, but was there 
not a possibility that she might have 
gone for a walk or drive with him? You 
see, American girls so often fail to under- 
stand that they cannot do away from 
home the things they do in the United 
States without any thought of harm. And 
so I wondered if the walk or drive together 
might not have become a longer one than 
they realized or if an accident might not 
have taken place so as to delay them 
unaccountably. Therefore at about four 
o’clock this afternoon I telephoned to 
the castle and asked to speak to Lieuten- 
ant von Reuter. The man servant told 
me that he was not at home, that he 
had left the castle at an early hour in 
the morning without saying where he was 
going or when he would return. However, 
I left word begging him to let us hear 
as soon as he came in. I made the mes- 


BETTY^S DISAPPEARANCE 165 


sage so emphatic that I hardly think it 
could have failed to be delivered. Not- 
withstanding we have heard nothing thus 
far. But if Dr. Ashton feels that it would 
be best to inquire again, I want him to 
know what I have done and 

Never in their acquaintance had Polly 
O^Neill before shown impatience with her 
new friend. Now, however, her loyalty 
to Betty Ashton seemed the most im- 
portant issue in the world. Particularly 
when on the faces of Mrs. Ashton, of 
Dick and even Esther, she could observe 
that Miss Adams’ suggestion had left its 
influence. Well, she and Betty had been 
like sisters always, members of the same 
Camp Fire club. She knew that Betty 
could do no such thing as Margaret Adams 
suggested, even in a spirit of thoughtless- 
ness. It would seem too much like an 
effort to mislead her mother and delib- 
erately to desert her. 

Just as emphatically as of old Polly 
shook her head, although she did manage 
to speak with more than her usual re- 
straint. ^^You are mistaken, Margaret, 
in supposing that Betty’s disappearance 


166 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


has anything to do with Carl von Reuter. 
Oh, yes, I — know it is partly my fault 
because I told you the other afternoon 
that Esther and I were both uneasy because 
she seemed to like him so much. But 
that did not mean that she would ever 
do anything wilful or foolish because of 
him. You see, dear, you are confusing 
the Princess and me. Betty thinks before 
she does things; I don’t as often as I 
should, though I hope I have improved.” 
Deserting her position next Richard Ash- 
ton, Polly slipped across the room, drop- 
ping on one knee before her friend. ^^You 
must not think we do not appreciate your 
kindness in trying to help us, but if you 
had known the Princess as long as I have 
you would not misunderstand her.” 

Bravo, Polly,” whispered Margaret 
Adams kindly. Then she turned grace- 
fully toward Mrs. Ashton. hope you 
do not feel as offended with me as Polly 
does. Truly I did not mean that my 
suggestion should reflect seriously upon 
Betty. It has not taken me so long a 
time to understand her as one might 
think. But it did not seem to me that 


BETTY^S DISAPPEARANCE 167 


taking a walk or a drive with a friend 
would be thought so serious an offense. 
Also there is the possibility that she may 
have met Lieutenant von Reuter on her 
way home and that without reflecting on 
your possible uneasiness 

But Miss Adams could not continue 
her apology, for at this moment there 
was an unexpected noise of some one 
approaching the front door. And as the 
sitting room was so close to the small 
hall everybody started up with broken 
words of relief. Betty was doubtless 
arriving and within a few seconds would 
be able to explain the mystery of her 
delay. 

Almost at the same moment Dick Ash- 
ton and Esther managed to reach the 
little front door together, although it was 
Dick’s hand that opened it. The changed 
expression in his usually serious eyes 
showed the burden of anxiety that had 
been so suddenly lifted from him. 

However, he made no outward sign — 
it was Esther who gave the muffled cry 
of disappointment — ^when outside they dis- 
covered the figures of two young men, 


168 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


Lieutenant von Reuter and his cousin 
Frederick. 

have been in Berlin for the day,” 
Carl von Reuter explained formally, ^^and 
when I returned, bringing my cousin with 
me, I found the message that some one 
here wished to speak to me. It seemed 
best that I come in person. I do not 
imderstand, but if I can be of service ” 

Brushing past Richard Ashton, Esther 
held out her hand. 

^^You are very kind, Lieutenant von 
Reuter. WonT you both please come 
in? For you see my sister Betty has 
been lost for five or six hours and as 
we are dreadfully worried, we hoped you 
would be kind enough to try to help us 
find her.” 


CHAPTER XV 


The Finding of Brunhilde 

F rom twilight until almost midnight 
Dick Ashton, the other two young 
men, Polly and Esther and a num- 
ber of people from the village of Wald- 
heim searched the surrounding country 
for Betty Ashton. It seemed utterly in- 
credible that she could not be found! 
She was not a child; she was almost a 
woman and could not have been lured 
away by strangers. But why if she were 
lost did she not make some sign? There 
were several signals learned in her Camp 
Fire days, which Polly and Esther would 
assuredly have understood. 

Earlier in the evening by the aid of 
a lantern PoUy O^Neill had insisted that 
she had discovered tracks that were surely 
Betty’s, turning from the main road which 
would have brought her to the cottage, 
into a small stretch of woods. But at 
night it was quite impossible to follow 

( 169 ) 


170 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


these tracks over the brush and bracken, 
and after the woods had been thoroughly 
searched and no other suggestion of a 
wanderer discovered, Polly's idea did not 
carry much weight. Moreover, the two 
girls were too utterly exhausted and fright- 
ened to continue the investigation, though 
neither of them would consent to return 
home. 

By chance the two girls, Richard Ash- 
ton and Carl von Reuter had separated 
from the others and were resting for a 
moment by the side of a low stone fence 
enclosing a forest. 

Dick was leaning over Esther urging 
her to let him take her into the village, 
where a carriage was in waiting to drive 
any one of them who might have news, 
back to Mrs. Ashton and Miss Adams, 
who were still together at the cottage. 
Carl von Reuter happened to be standing 
close to Polly, but he was not speaking 
to her nor observing her. All through the 
evening he had seemed as anxious and 
interested about Betty as her brother 
and even more nonplussed at their in- 
ability to find any trace of her; because, 


FINDING OF BRUNHILDE 171 


of course, he knew so thoroughly well 
every inch of ground in the surrounding 
country and had also called in his servants 
from the castle to assist in the search. 

Suddenly PoUy clutched at the young 
lieutenant’s arm. She had risen unex- 
pectedly to her feet and was pointing 
ahead apparently at nothing so far as her 
companions could see. 

The night had been dark and cloudy, 
the atmosphere sultry with suggestions of 
a September storm. Therefore the task 
of finding Betty, should she be out of 
doors, had been the more difficult and the 
more imperative. 

'^Look, Esther,” PoUy called sharply, 
^Hhere over in the woods toward the 
west. Do you see anything?” 

Esther had gotten up on her feet more 
slowly and was leaning on Dick Ashton’s 
arm. She had become weary of false 
clues and false hopes. And Polly with 
her sanguine temperament had been more 
often deceived than any one else. 

^'That is only a mist you see rising 
between the trees. Miss O’Neill,” Carl 
von Reuter answered before the others 


172 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


spoke. very often occurs in these 

damp old forests on sultry nights.’^ 

Polly made no reply for the moment, 
only walking over to where Esther was 
standing she whispered something to her 
that no one else could hear. And Esther 
took tight hold of Polly’s hand and with- 
out regarding their escorts they both stared 
unceasingly in the direction that Polly 
had first indicated. Were the light clouds 
they saw at so great a distance away, 
rising and fioating lightly in the night 
air like pale ghosts, really nothing but 
mist? Then it was curious that the mist 
should rise always in double clouds, the 
one within a few feet of the other. 

A second time the two girls together 
watched this phenomenon and then after 
an interval of ten minutes, during which 
neither one of them would change her 
position, for the third time they saw 
the two light clouds unfurl and this time, 
though they may not have been perfectly 
certain of this detail, there appeared tiny 
sparks and cinders amid the clouds. 

Polly turned • deliberately toward Carl 
von Reuter, Lieutenant von Reuter,” 


FINDING OF BRUNHILDE 173 


she said, Betty is somewhere within 
your woods. I am perfectly sure of it 
and so is Esther by this time. You may 
not understand, but we have lived to- 
gether in the woods for over a year and 
have studied woodcraft until we know 
almost as much about it as Indian women. 
The two columns of smoke which we have 
discovered rising at regular intervals are 
a woodsman’s signal for help. We must 
go to Betty at once. It is dark and we 
are not familiar with your forests, so that 
it would take us a longer time to reach 
her alone. Will you be good enough to 
lead the way?” 

There was no disputing the girl’s quiet 
conviction, and as Esther was now equally 
convinced, neither young man advanced 
any denial. Only Carl von Reuter plunged 
ahead so rapidly that following him was 
almost out of the question. 

By some magic he seemed to know 
the open spaces between the trees and 
where the underbrush could be safely 
trodden down. Neither did he make any 
effort to assist either of the two girls, 
leaving that task entirely to Richard Ash- 


174 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


ton. And though under ordinary cir- 
cumstances neither girl would have needed 
help, tonight Esther was strangely tired. 
All day, since the early hour of leaving 
their little German cottage, she had been 
under unusual strain. So that now, though 
she was ashamed of it, remembering her 
long training in outdoor life, now and 
then she did manage to stumble and to 
have to clutch either at Polly or at Dr. 
Ashton for support. 

In one of these moments of delay, Carl 
von Reuter did hesitate for an instant, 
calling back over his shoulder: '^We will 
reach the path in a short time. It is 
the same path which you took through 
the woods to my hunting lodge several 
weeks ago.’’ 

But when they finally reached this pr.lh 
their leader had disappeared into the dis- 
tance ahead of them, leaving the three 
strangers to stumble on through the dark- 
ness alone. 

And if ever in her life Polly O’Neill 
was to recognize the need which any 
woman may some day require of a knowl- 
edge of the woods and fields, she needed 


FINDING OF BRUNHILDE 175 


it tonight. For here the three of them 
were in an unknown forest in a strange 
land with no light except that made by 
the dark lantern which some one in the 
village had loaned Dick. Esther was too 
tired to be of much assistance, and Richard 
Ashton did not understand haK so much 
of outdoor life as the two Camp Fire girls. 
Always he had been too devoted a stu- 
dent of books for the right kind of ac- 
quaintance with nature. Moreover, Dick 
was extremely angry at Lieutenant von 
Reuter^s desertion of them. Of course 
Betty must be found as promptly as pos- 
sible, if it were true that she was signal- 
ing for their aid from some place in the 
woods. But if Dick had realized it, in 
his prejudice against their new acquaint- 
ance, he would honestly have preferred 
that Betty should have to wait for her 
deliverance a few moments longer than 
that this young foreigner should manage 
to be her deliverer. And this in spite of 
the fact than an occasional drop of rain 
was beginning to fall and that now and 
then a line of lightning streaked the sky. 

Under other circumstances nothing would 


176 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


have persuaded Carl von Reuter to have 
so failed in courtesy as his present action 
showed. For whatever the difference in 
points of view between an American and 
a foreigner, there is little difference in 
the code of good breeding between one 
civilized nation and another. And Lieu- 
tenant von Reuter was a member of the 
old German nobility. Indeed, one of the 
objections to him which both Esther and 
Polly had expressed was that he was 
almost too formal, too conventional in 
his manner and behavior for their simpler 
American taste. So of course there was 
some unusual impulse, some strong emo- 
tion and design now urging him ahead 
almost to the complete forgetting of his 
other companions. 

But not since the hour of their original 
meeting had the young German failed to 
acknowledge to himself that Betty Ashton 
had a charm for him which no other girl 
had ever before possessed. He had known 
no other American girls until now, and 
his acquaintance with German girls of 
his own position in life had been at solemn 
parties, where they were usually too fright- 


FINDING OF BRUNHILDE 177 


ened and self-conscious to have much to 
say for themselves. Of course he had 
always been told that American girls were 
unlike any others and yet had failed to 
imagine that they could have the beauty 
and fascination that Betty Ashton had 
for him. Why, he had not even tried 
to find out anything about her family, 
about her position in the world! For 
it is a curious fact that foreigners who 
care so much for class distinctions in their 
own countries have no such attitude toward 
Americans. Because we have no titles, 
because a family that is poor and obscure 
in one generation may be rich and dis- 
tinguished in the next, they consider that 
all Americans are of equal position except 
in the matter of wealth. And this fact 
Carl von Reuter had learned in connec- 
tion with Betty Ashton. She was poor, 
there was no possibility of doubting it. 
One could see it plainly enough in the 
simple fashion in which they were living 
and through their ordinary conversation. 
Moreover, Betty had made no effort to 
hide the fact. Indeed, it had seemed at 
times as if she were anxious to speak 


12 


178 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


of it for some secret reason of her own. 
Yet she need not have felt this necessary, 
since there could be no uncertainty in 
the young count’s mind. Frederick von 
Reuter, who seemed to have almost for- 
gotten his own emotion in his deep in- 
terest in his cousin’s, having made careful 
inquiries through his bank, had sadly 
reported that Miss Ashton could not pos- 
sibly be regarded as an American heiress. 

This information, tragic as it may have 
sounded at the time, had no place in 
Carl’s thoughts tonight. He was only 
possessed of the one thought that the 
girl whom he admired and liked so much 
was alone in the woods, probably hurt 
and needing his aid. And that at any 
moment she might be caught in a fierce 
thunderstorm. 

As the young fellow strode swiftly along 
— ^he had hunted too frequently in his 
own forests not to be entirely familiar 
with them — ^he began to realize that the 
signal which his two girl companions had 
recognized first was coming from the same 
neighborhood where he had had a pre- 
vious meeting with them. For as he 


FINDING OF BRUNHILDE 179 


drew nearer, once again the signals flashed, 
though dimmer now because of the increas- 
ing strength of the storm. 

Curiously enough, as he strode along he 
was recalling the story of Siegfried and 
Brunhilde which he had repeated to the 
three girls at Polly’s request. And the 
words of Siegfried’s song came back to his 
mind. This was not just an idle coinci- 
dence. The Germans are a far more 
sentimental and music-loving race of people 
than we can fully understand. And from 
the hour when Carl von Reuter had first 
seen Betty, the beauty of her gold-red 
hair had suddenly made him think of his 
small boy dream of this best-loved heroine 
in aU the old German legends. There was 
hardly a time in his childhood when he had 
not been devoted to this story, which is 
usually luifamiliar to American boys and 
girls until such time as they are grown and 
begin seeing Wagner’s wonderful operas, 
written about these tales of the Nibelung. 

And in truth the young man found 
Betty Ashton as much encircled by fire as 
ever the famous Brunhilde could have 
been and with the thunder and lightning 


180 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


playing over her head like the final scene 
in Siegfried.” 

The girl lay on the ground between two 
smouldering fires from which only feeble 
columns of smoke were now arising, al- 
though there were flames enough still left 
among the embers to reveal the outline 
of her form. Nevertheless, though Carl 
von Reuter called her name aloud long 
before he could reach her side, Betty made 
no response. A short time after the rea- 
son was sufiiciently plain, for she had 
fainted. 

For half a moment the yoimg lieutenant 
stood silent, staring down upon her, too 
full of feeling to trust himsetf to speak. 
She looked so utterly worn out and ex- 
hausted. Her thin summer dress of some 
light color and material was torn and 
soiled and her hair had come unfastened 
and was hanging loose about her shoulders, 
making a kind of vivid pillow against the 
darker backgroimd of the earth. For 
when another sudden flash of lightning 
followed the girFs hair was the color of 
the flame. 

'^Miss Ashton,” Carl von Reuter called. 


FINDING OF BRUNHILDE 181 


It was evident enough even in these 
first few minutes what had taken place. 
For one of Betty’s shoes was off and her 
ankle had been put into splints and band- 
aged with the sleeve torn from her gown. 
She must have dragged herself about col- 
lecting wood and underbrush for her camp 
fires and there was at present no way 
of guessing how many she may have had 
to build before her signals were discovered. 

Miss Ashton — ^Betty !” Lieutenant von 
Reuter called again. But the girl made 
no answer and the heavens suddenly 
seemed to part wide open, letting forth 
a heavy downpour of rain. 

In the same instant the young man 
gathered up the girl in his arms and 
ran toward the shelter of his hunting 
lodge. He had always the key with him, 
so that the door was quickly opened. 
Placing her on a couch, he then lighted 
candles; but the next moment, now that 
Betty was safe, he had a sudden appre- 
ciation of the struggle and anxiety of his 
three companions, whom he had so im- 
ceremoniously deserted. With a silver 
hunting whistle to his lips he blew loudly 


182 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


and then waited for an answer. None 
succeeded and he tried again and again. 
The third time an answering ^ ^ hello came 
from the lips of Richard Ashton. 

When the young count finally turned 
and re-entered the room he discovered 
that Betty’s eyes were now open and 
that she was looking gratefully and with 
entire consciousness at him. 

But without attempting to do anything 
more than smile at her reassuringly the 
young lieutenant knelt and started a fire 
in his big open fireplace. And before 
it had done more than flicker into a light 
blaze, Polly, Esther and Dick were also 
crowding into the room, the girls kneeling 
beside Betty, while Carl von Reuter apol- 
ogized to Dr. Ashton for his desertion. 

It was now past midnight and out of 
the question for any one of the three 
girls to attempt the journey home. So 
after seeing that his four guests were 
made as comfortable as possible in his 
lodge for the night, it was the young 
German officer who tramped the long dis- 
tance back through the rain to assure Mrs. 
Ashton and Miss Adams of Betty’s discovery. 


CHAPTER XVI 


A Heart-to-Heart Talk 

S EVERAL days later Betty Ashton 
was driven over to spend the day 
with Polly and Miss Adams. Her 
accident had not been a serious one, since 
by putting her ankle into splints at once 
she had saved it from dangerous swelling. 
Nevertheless she was unable to walk about 
except on crutches and so the tedium 
of staying at home was trying. Par- 
ticularly as this was one of Esther^s days 
in Berlin devoted to her music lesson, 
Betty wished to be with her friends. 

The three women had spent the morn- 
ing out of doors, but after lunch, as it 
grew unexpectedly cool, Polly suggested 
that a small fire be laid in their queer 
German stove, which was built of por- 
celain and stood like an odd-shaped monu- 
ment in a corner of the sitting room. 

Betty was resting on the sofa. Miss 
Adams writing letters at her desk and 

( 183 ) 


184 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


Polly sitting on a low stool as close as 
possible to the few embers visible near 
the base of the stove. She had never 
forgotten her old devotion to a camp fire 
and this was as good a substitute as one 
could obtain in their little German house- 
hold. 

Strangely enough no one of the little 
company had spoken a single word for 
the past ten minutes, so that it might 
have appeared as though all possible con- 
fidences had been exchanged during the 
morning. Margaret Adams finally got 
up and coming across the room, seated 
herself on the edge of Betty^s sofa. She 
was wearing a soft, dark-blue silk made 
with no other trimming than a girdle and 
a little roimd collar of lace, and she seemed 
very few years older than her two com- 
panions. 

The Princess looked at the great lady 
admiringly. It had been difficult to think 
of Miss Adams today except as one of 
themselves. She had been so gay and 
friendly, laughing over their jokes and 
apparently never once thinking or talking 
of herself. How wonderful to be able 


A HEART-TO-HEART TALK 185 


to accept fame and wealth in so simple 
a spirit, and what an object lesson for 
erratic Polly! Yet some benefit must 
Miss Adams have received from her friend, 
for surely she was looking years younger 
since her arrival in the German forests 
and so rested that she might soon be able 
to go back to her work with renewed 
talent. Think of being rested by being 
in Polly O’Neill’s society! How surprised 
Polly’s mother and MoUie would be by 
this inf ormation ! And unconsciously Betty 
began smiling into the lovely face now 
bending over hers. 

Could it be possible that Miss Adams 
was actually blushing, that she was re- 
turning her gaze with a kind of gentle 
timidity that somehow recgdled either MoUie 
or Meg? 

Then suddenly Margaret Adams said, 
“Betty, I have been wishing to apologize 
to you ever since the day of your acci- 
dent. I know that no one else wiU teU 
you, but on the evening when we were 
so worried over deciding what might have 
become of you, I suggested that you might 
have gone for a walk or drive alone with 


186 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


Lieutenant von Reuter without thinking 
to let your mother know, and that some 
accident had occurred to delay you. At 
the time Polly scolded me dreadfully for 
my lack of faith in you, yet I don’t feel 
that it would be quite fair to you unless 
I make this confession.” 

What on earth would Betty Ashton 
not have given at this moment to have 
prevented her cheeks from suddenly crim- 
soning in such a ridiculous fashion? Would 
she never hear the end of her escapade? 
Excepting her mother, her own family 
had been curiously severe and unsym- 
pathetic over what had seemed to her 
only an act of foolishness on her part, 
scarcely a crime. And here was Polly 
O’Neill also frowning upon her at this 
present instant as if she had been a saint 
herself during all her past life. 

^'It is all right. Miss Adams, of course,” 
Betty murmured. “I am not in the least 
offended by your conjecture. It was 
natural enough under the circumstances, 
I think.” And here Betty raised herself 
on one elbow, forgetting everything else 
in her earnestness. Won’t you tell me, 


A HEART-TO-HEART TALK 187 


please, Miss Adams, if it would have 
been so dreadful a thing if I had done 
what you supposed? Of course I should 
have let mother know, but otherwise I 
should not have thought anything of it. 
Why, it seems to me that it would have 
been much better had I had a companion 
on my walk. Because when I was such 
a goose as to catch my foot in a tangle 
of vines and tumble headlong, had Lieu- 
tenant von Reuter been with me he could 
have helped me home or at least let 
mother hear so that I need not have 
given so much trouble and uneasiness.” 

Miss Adams kissed the girl impetuously, 
failing to see that Polly was frowning at 
them both. 

^^Yes, dear, since you honestly wish to 
know, it would not have been wise,” the 
older woman answered, ^ though I under- 
stood at the time that you might have 
done the thing without thinking. You 
know there is an old expression — and of 
course these old expressions bore us so 
that we are apt to forget how vital they 
are — ^that when we live in Rome we must 
do as the Romans so. I wish American 


188 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


girls would remember this adage a little 
better when they are traveling in Europe. 
You see, these old countries over here 
have had their customs much longer than 
we have had ours, and a walk with a 
friend would have meant nothing of any 

importance to you, but to them 

Margaret,’^ Polly O^Neil broke into 
the conversation abruptly, don’t mean 
to be rude in interrupting you. But 
there is one thing that Betty Ashton has 
never yet explained to my satisfaction or 
anybody else’s, and I don’t see why she 
should not do it now. Will you please 
tell me, Betty, whatever induced you to 
start off on such a journey by yourself? 
You must have known that the Avalk 
would take you several hours at least, 
even if nothing unforeseen had happened. 
Surely you had sense enough to* know 
that your wandering aroimd in a strange 
woods alone without anyone’s knowing 
where you were would not be safe at any 
time or place. What made you do it?” 

Betty bit her lips. It was true that 
she and Polly had never failed in the 
past in being absolutely honest with each 


A HEART-TO-HEART TALK 189 


other, nor had she ever hesitated to ask 
of Polly anything that she herseK desired 
to know. Yet it was hardly fair that she 
should be asked this particular question 
before a comparative stranger. It had 
been difficult enough to make Dick and 
Esther accept her explanation as a reason- 
able one after several days of discussion. 
So what should she now answer Polly? 
For her friend^s eyes were upon her with 
that queer searching gaze they sometimes 
wore, and her high cheek bones were 
flushed with determination — and some- 
thing else. 

^'Answer me,’’ Polly repeated firmly. 

“Why, I though I told you the other 
morning,” Betty returned meekly. “I had 
no very special reason for taking the 
walk. I was just nervous and restless 
and kind of worried and all of a sudden 
as I started for home, why it seemed to 
me that I could not bear to go indoors 
so soon. And then I thought of the 
beautiful woods where we were together 
a while ago and I believed that if I could 
rest there for a little I should be ” 

“Be what, Betty Ashton?” Polly de- 


190 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


manded almost savagely. And then she 
shook her head sagely and with her arms 
about her knees relapsed into her old 
habit of rocking herself thoughtfully back 
and forth. ^^You need not try to explain 
anything further to me or to any one 
else for that matter. Your explanations 
are too absurd. Because if you don’t 
know yourself what is the trouble with 
you, Esther and I both do. You are 
faUing in love. You have not been like 
yourseK for weeks! Why do you sup- 
pose that just now when I asked you 
a simple question that you should hesi- 
tate and flush? You went to that same 
old place in the forest alone just because 
you wanted to think about ” 

But the Princess was now getting up 
from her place on the sofa and the other 
girl understood perfectly well her pretty 
air of offended dignity. 

^‘Miss Adams,” Betty began quietly, 
'^it is growing late and if you don’t mind 
will you ask your maid to send for my 
carriage. I have had a lovely day with 
you. Thank you for having asked me.” 
And as she started limping into the other 


A HEART-TO-HEART TALK 191 


room for her wraps it was the older woman 
who slipped her arm affectionately about 
her, in the meantime frowning at Polly 
with more displeasure than she had ever 
before shown. 

But Mistress Polly did not stir from her 
stool nor cease from rocking herself after 
the other two women had disappeared. 
Nor did she even repent sufficiently to 
help Betty out to her carriage, in spite 
of her friend^s temporary lameness and 
need of her. The maid and Margaret 
could this time fill her place. But it 
was not only bad temper nor was it exactly 
repentance for her impertinence that kept 
Polly so steadfast in her childish position. 
It was ridiculous of her, certainly, and yet 
she could not keep back her tears. She 
had been fearful that her beloved Betty 
was beginning to care for this young 
foreigner; now she felt absolutely assured 
of it. For Betty would not even deny 
her accusation nor quarrel with her effront- 
ery. How grown-up she had become, her 
dear Princess ! And what a gracious, 
high-bred manner she had! It was too 
dreadful to have to think of leaving her 


192 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


behind in a foreign country forever and 
ever, married to a man whose ideas of 
life must be so different from theirs. 
Well, for her part she should fight against 
such a marriage taking place to the bitter 
end! 

Nevertheless this resolution did not keep 
Polly from feeling like a very rude and 
much-snubbed little girl for the rest of 
that afternoon and evening. Miss Adams 
did not refrain from assuring her that 
she had behaved like a bad-mannered 
child. For whether or not the Princess 
was beginning to care for the young lieu- 
tenant, it was both unjust and unkind 
in Polly to try to tear away the delicate 
veil of romance which in the beginning 
should cover all young eyes. 

As for Betty herself, she of comse made 
no comment on the day^s experiences to 
her family, except to say that she had 
had a pleasant enough time, but was 
tired. No one of them paid her as much 
attention as usual, for they were too deeply 
interested in some news which Dick Ash- 
ton had just received in an American 
letter. Anthony Graham had written say- 


A HEART-TO-HEART TALK 193 


ing that old Judge Maynard had recently 
died and that Betty had been mentioned 
in the old man’s will. The will had not 
yet been probated, but would be within 
the month, when full particulars would 
be furnished them. At the time of his 
death Anthony had been with the old 
Judge, who had asked that the Ashton 
family be advised of his intention. 

It was odd that under the circiun-' 
stances Betty should appear to be the 
least interested of the four persons about 
their small dinner table in the news of 
her own good fortune. 

wonder how much the legacy will 
amount to, mother — only a few hundred 
dollars, I presume,” Dick Ashton suggested. 
^Ht is an amazing thing to me, however, 
why Judge Maynard should have left 
Betty a cent. Of course he is an old 
bachelor with no heirs, but he seemed to 
have taken a great fancy to this Graham 
fellow. And moreover, Betty was entirely 
an outsider.” 

Mrs. Ashton would not entirely agree 
to her son’s line of argument. For Judge 
Maynard and her husband had been great 


18 


194 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


friends, and interested in a number of 
business ventures together in earlier days, 
when Mr. Ashton had helped make the 
Judge’s fortune as well as his own. And 
the older man had not had the misfortune 
to lose his. Moreover, he had been de- 
voted to Betty when she was a small girl 
and later had shown much interest in her 
effort to hold on to the old Ashton place. 

should not be in the least surprised, 
dear, if the old Judge has left you as 
much as a thousand dollars,” Mrs. Ash- 
ton insisted as she helped Betty undress 
and kissed her good-night. 


CHAPTER XVn 


The Day Before Esther’s D6but 

T hree weeks had passed and Betty 
Ashton had fully recovered from 
her accident. Today she had been 
doing a hundred small tasks in the house, 
marching up and down their little gar- 
den, sometimes alone and sometimes with 
Polly, yet never getting beyond calling 
distance of home. Now and then she 
would tiptoe softly to a small bedroom 
and stand outside for a moment listening 
silently. If a voice called her she went 
inside for a little while, but if not she 
would go quietly away. For a solemn 
edict had been issued in the family the 
evening before, that on the following day 
no matter what should take place Esther 
must have absolute rest. At four o’clock, 
however, she was to be aroused, dressed 
and given a light tea, since at five they 
were to start for Berlin, where Esther 
was to make her debut as a singer at 

( 195 ) 


196 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


Professor Hecksher^s celebrated autumn 
concert. 

And curiously enough, Esther had been 
able to sleep the greater part of the 
morning. For weeks before it had seemed 
to her that she had slept neither day nor 
night, so intense had been her nervous- 
ness and dread. Suppose she should make 
a ghastly failure of her songs; suppose as 
she stepped out on the stage, facing an 
audience largely composed of German crit- 
ics and musicians, — ^that one of her old 
attacks of shyness should seize her? Her 
own disgrace she might be able to bear, 
but not Betty^s, nor her father^s, who 
was writing such eager, excited letters 
from Woodford with the sailing of each 
ship to their port; and not Richard Ash- 
ton^s, who had always been her good 
friend. Through his kindness had she 
not first been allowed to play the grand 
piano at the old Ashton homestead, in 
those early days when her hunger for 
music had been almost as strong as her 
himger for love? 

But after her breakfast, which Betty 
brought to her sitting beside her on the 


BEFORE ESTHER^S DEBUT 197 


bed while she ate, Esther for the time 
at least forgot her fears. There was 
nothing more that she could do — ^no further 
thought or study or preparation of any 
kind that she could give to her evening’s 
work. So a feeling of gentle lassitude 
stole over her with the conviction that 
she was now in the hands of fate, and 
that it was useless to struggle further. 

But if Esther was spared this final 
nervous tension before her debutj Betty 
Ashton experienced a double portion of 
it. Indeed, in after years she often used 
to say that never at another time in her 
life had she suffered anything like it — ^not 
even on her own wedding day when every 
girl supposedly reaches the climax of ex- 
citement. 

It was not because Betty had any lack 
of faith in her sister’s talent, for no one 
who had heard Esther sing in the past 
few months could have doubted her ability. 
Even Miss Adams, who had heard most 
of the world’s great singers, had assured 
them that they need have no fear for 
her future. Yet Betty knew her sister’s 
disposition so well, knew how little self- 


198 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


esteem Esther had, how little of the van- 
ity that sometimes seems necessary to 
success, and there was a harrowing pos- 
sibility that she might suddenly be made 
ill from stage fright. Yet of course the 
younger girl recognized her own foolish- 
ness in allowing her imagination to dwell 
on such remote chances. Hardly was 
she able to explain even to herself the 
exact reasons for her feeling of stress and 
strain on that day which seemed so inter- 
minably loaig. Of course she and Polly 
had made up their difficulty long before — 
they had been having quarrels and making 
up ever since they were tiny girls — ^but 
today even Polly ^s society had failed to 
offer her any consolation, until at last 
Polly had gone back home to rest for 
an hour or two before dressing for their 
journey into Berlin. 

And Mrs. Ashton had insisted upon 
Betty^s doing the same thing. The girl 
could not make up her mind to stay shut 
up in the house, for although it was early 
October, the day was delightfully warm, 
so she lay down in a steamer chair imder 
a tree in the yard, and covering herself 


BEFORE ESTHER’S DEBUT 199 

with a light-blue shawl, fell at once into 
her former train of thought. 

For in some way it was not just this 
thought of Esther’s concert alone that 
had so filled her mind, but the idea that 
this concert in a measure was to be a 
turning point in their lives. Soon after 
it was over Polly and Miss Adams in- 
tended returning to America and Dick 
Ashton was to go with them. For not 
long after his talk with Esther on the 
train he had also discussed the same 
matter with his mother, and though she 
and Betty were both deeply grieved over 
giving him up, it was plain enough to 
them that Dick’s future now lay in the 
United States. There he must make his 
reputation and establish himself in his 
profession. Nevertheless Betty could not 
now leave Esther to fight her battles alone, 
and just as surely Mrs. Ashton must 
remain with Betty. So Dick was to begin 
his struggle without his family. He had 
received a fine opening with a pronainent 
physician in Boston, an old friend of his 
father’s who had always known of his 
devotion and success in his chosen work, 


200 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


so that except for his loneliness there was 
no special reason for troubling about his 
immediate future. Notwithstanding, Betty 
was troubled. For Dick was not in the 
least like himself, had not been all sum- 
mer, and now was becoming more and 
more solemn and stern as the time of his 
leave-taking approached. Of course she 
had always remembered him as more serious 
than most other young men; yet he had 
never before been morose or unhappy. 
All their lives had they not been having 
wonderfully good times together? And 
now — ^well, for one thing, Betty knew per- 
fectly that her brother was feeling uneasy 
over her friendship with Lieutenant von 
Reuter and had not hesitated in telling 
her so, expressing his own disapproval of 
any further intimacy between them. And 
assuredly she had failed in giving him 
any satisfaction in return. For Betty 
had made no clearer revelation of her 
feeling toward the young foreigner to her 
brother than she had to Polly O^Neill. 
She had positively declined having their 
friendship interfered with, and as Richard 
Ashton knew nothing against him he was 


BEFORE ESTHER^S DEBUT 201 


forced to yield to his sister^s wish. Mrs. 
Ashton entirely sympathized with Betty, 
and made no effort to hide her pleasure 
in Carl von Reuter^s attentions. 

As the girl lay almost as if she were 
asleep in her big chair, now and then 
opening her eyes to glance up at the 
deeply blue October sky, it did not seem 
to her that her own obstinacy in this one 
particular was a sufficient reason for Dick’s 
dejection. And yet what other reason 
could there be? He had promised to 
come home from Berlin earlier this after- 
noon in order to escort them back again. 
And probably if Esther’s debut was a tre- 
mendous success he might be made more 
cheerful. 

And then in all probability Betty must 
have fallen asleep for about ten minutes, 
because when next she opened her eyes, 
Dick was standing within a few feet of 
her and some one else was beside him. 

“Betty,” she heard her brother’s voice 
saying, “wake up, please, won’t you and 
speak to an old friend? For otherwise 
you would never guess in half a lifetime who 
has arrived and come to me in Berlin today.” 


202 


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Making a tremendous effort to attain 
her usual dignity, Betty opened wide her 
gray eyes, stared, tried to get up out 
of her chair, and then finding her feet 
tangled in the blue shawl, stumbled and 
would have fallen except for the new- 
comer’s outstretched arm. 

Yet even when he had restored her to 
her usual equilibrium she did not imme- 
diately recognize their visitor, although 
she found herself looking up into a pair 
of clear hazel eyes and at the strong, 
clean outline of a typical American face. 
The young man must have been about 
twenty-three or four years old. He had 
dark hair, resolutely forbidden to curl, 
and curiously brilliant skin; but the con- 
tour of his face was almost too lean and 
the expression of his lips and chin too 
set and firm for so young a fellow. 

^^Miss Ashton,” he began unsmilingl}^, 
^^am I always to have to tell you who 
I am each time we meet?” 

And then, just as she had once »evert,l 
years before, Betty held out both hands 
in a surprised and happy greeting. 

<‘Why, it is Anthony Graham! But 


BEFORE ESTHER^S DEBUT 203 

you must please forgive me, because how 
in the world could I ever have dreamed 
of seeing you here? What in the wide 
world has brought you to Germany?’^ 

And as Anthony did not answer at 
once, Dick Ashton walked away, coming 
back a moment later with two porch 
chairs, which he placed near his sister^s 
larger one. 

^^Sit down again, please, Betty,’’ he 
asked. realize that we have very 

little time, but I think it better that 
you should hear at once what Mr. Gra- 
ham has come all the way across the ocean 
to tell you.” And Dick’s face was so 
. queer that it was quite impossible to teU 
what his emotions might be, so that Betty 
clutched the sides of her chair, white and 
frightened. 

^^Yes, please, if it is bad news, tdl me 
at once,” she whispered. 

Anthony Graham’s smile, appearing 
now for the first time, was immediately 
reassuring. 

^‘But it is not bad news and we should 
not have frightened you,” he began at 
once. ^^It is news that almost anybody 


204 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


in the world would be more than happy 
to hear. Judge Maynard has left you 
the greatest part of his fortune, which 
will amount to about fifty thousand dol- 
lars, I believe, and as he made me his 
executor, I have come over to try and 
make matters clear to you and your 
mother and brother.’’ 

Fifty thousand dollars to me!” Betty 
Ashton heard the tones of her own voice 
distinctly and yet was hardly conscious 
of what she was saying. “Why, what 
could have influenced Judge Maynard to 
leave me so much money? I simply can’t 
understand it.” 

“You don’t have to understand it, 
Miss Betty; you just have to accept 
and enjoy it,” Anthony argued. “But 
some day when we have more time I 
should hke to tell you some of the things 
Judge Maynard said to me at about the 
time he was writing his last will. He 
was a peculiar, childless old man and 
he had always been more fond of you 
than you or any member of your family 
dreamed. And after your father’s death, 
when you went on so cheerfully with your 




** Fifty Thousand Dollars to Mb!** 


206 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


life in spite of the change in your fortune, 
he made up his mind to look after your 
future.’’ 

^^But you, Anthony. Polly told me 
that it was to you the Judge had taken 
such a great fancy that most of the people 
in Woodford expected him to make you 
his heir. I cannot take your inherit- 
ance.” 

Anthony Graham laughed, at the same 
moment getting up from his chair. 
have to take the next train back to Ber- 
lin, but I mean to see you tonight at 
Miss Esther’s concert. And please, Dr. 
Ashton, won’t you explain to your sister 
that she cannot take from me an inherit- 
ance which I never had nor dreamed of 
having. Judge Maynard believed that a 
man should make his own way in the 
world. So he has left me the chance 
to go on with his law practice if I am 
big enough to hold on to it, and besides 
that a legacy of five thousand dollars.” 

^^But how could you have come away 
from home at such a time, running the 
risk of losing so much?” Betty queried 
thoughtfully. suppose you might have 


BEFORE ESTHER^S DEBUT 207 


written us all the details of my inherit- 
ance if you had chosen.” 

Richard Ashton appeared a little an- 
noyed at what seemed to him a lack of 
appreciation and of proper friendliness in 
his sister^s speech. Their guest, however, 
ohowed no hurt or concern. He merely 
looked steadfastly at Betty, saying with 
a directness and honesty that was to 
distinguish him for the rest of his Ufe, 
don’t wonder at your being surprised. 
But I have never been out of the state 
of New Hampshire before in my life. 
And it seemed to me about time that I 
should learn something more of the out- 
side world. And besides I was not willing 
to have many more months go by with- 
out seeing you once again.” 


CHAPTER XVIII 


That Night 


THOUGH six persons left the little 



station at Waldheim to attend the 


^ concert in Berlin by special ar- 
rangement, Esther and Betty were allowed 
to occupy a coach in the train together 
without any one else being with them. 
Esther had particularly asked that this 
might be arranged. The two sisters did 
not speak very often during the trip, 
but sat quietly looking out the window 
holding each other’s hands. Judging from 
the two faces, one might reasonably have 
supposed that it was Betty Ashton who 
was about to make her debut that evening 
instead of Esther. For the older girl’s 
eyes shone with a new happiness and con- 
tent. Just while she was dressing for 
her concert her sister had managed to 
tell her the news of Judge Maynard’s 
surprising will. And from that moment 
Esther had almost forgotten the trying 


(208) 


THAT NIGHT 


209 


ordeal ahead of her in her joy over Betty 
good fortune. For now she need no 
longer worry over her little sister^s future, 
no longer grieve over the change in her 
fortune. Why, she might even fail tonight 
and Betty would not suffer. 

She gave a sigh, and the Princess drew 
closer to her. 

“You are not to think about a single 
thing that has any connection with the 
concert tonight, Esther,’’ the younger girl 
reminded her. “Professor Hecksher says 
that you know your song perfectly and 
your encore is to be a surprise even to 
me. Let us talk about our old Camp 
Fire days in the woods. Don’t you re- 
member when we thought poor little Nan 
Graham must have stolen that wretched 
money of mine, when I had only lost it 
in the woods and Polly had discovered it. 
Dick says that Anthony Graham told 
him Nan has a fine position as a teacher 
of domestic science in a high school in 
Dartmouth. And it seems that his father 
has reformed and gone to work and the 
whole family now is quite different. 
Anthony gives all the credit of the 


14 


210 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


changes to Nan and Nan ascribes them 
to what she learned in our Camp Fire 
club at Sunrise Hill. It is lovely to think 
that may be true, isn^t it?^’ 

^^Yes, and even better to reflect that 
Betty Ashton originated the club,’^ Esther 
returned. 

^^Yes, and that Esther suggested the 
idea to her by singing an exquisite song 
and then with her own hands starting a 
fire,^’ Betty added. 

So the two girls talked on fitfully while 
the train carried them swiftly onward 
toward the great German city. 

The concert was to be held in a small 
opera house close to one of the more 
fashionable avenues. It was an old build- 
ing, but was considered a particularly 
fine one for musical purposes. And im- 
mediately upon their arrival Mrs. Ashton 
and Betty went with Esther to remain 
in her dressing room until a short time 
before her appearance. 

Dick Ashton, Miss Adams and Polly 
had a box reserved for them near the 
stage, where Betty and Mrs. Ashton were 
to join them. But before they appeared 


THAT NIGHT 


211 


Anthony Graham in immaculate evening 
clothes came around to the box door to 
extend his greetings to Polly, and Dick 
insisted that he be one of their party. 
And five minutes afterwards Lieutenant 
von Reuter also joined them, Betty hav- 
ing invited him several days before. 

The concert was to be a serious musical 
affair commencing with the playing of 
a stringed orchestra led by the great 
Professor Hecksher himself. And as Polly 
had never seen him before, she amused 
herself while w^aiting for Betty^s return 
and fighting off her own apprehensions 
about Esther by never taking her eyes 
from the great man’s face. He must 
have weighed two hundred and fifty pounds 
and yet had the face of a glorified cherub. 
His hair was long and light, hanging down 
to his shoulders and he wore spectacles 
over his burning, heavy-lidded brown eyes. 

The first singer on the program was 
supposed to be the famous teacher’s star 
pupil. But because she seemed old and 
ugly to Polly O’Neill and because the 
girl could hardly wait for her own friend 
to be heard, she took little interest in the 


212 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


really remarkable solo and was almost 
vexed with Miss Adams and with Carl 
von Reuter for their evident admiration 
of a stranger. It was a comfort to her 
to observe that Richard Ashton seemed 
to be feeling just as she did and that he 
spent the greater part of his time studying 
the audience, trying to discover just how 
many important musical critics were 
present. 

Anthony Graham also had the air of 
waiting for something or some one. 

A quartette followed, and then a violin 
solo, and afterwards Betty and Mrs. Ash- 
ton stole quietly in, taking the two chairs 
left vacant for them. Polly and Miss 
Adams were in the front row with Dick 
Ashton at one side of them, near the 
back of the box and yet facing the stage. 
In the second row Betty had the outside 
seat and she kept her elbow resting on 
the plush railing with her chin in her 
hand, entirely unconscious of the large 
crowd about her. Next her Carl von 
Reuter had arranged his chair, leaving 
Mrs. Ashton and Anthony in the rear. 

A young man sang before the time 


THAT NIGHT 


213 : 


for Esther’s appearance, but Betty never 
recalled having seen or heard him. She 
had left her sister composed and not 
especially nervous; but there was no way 
of guessing what a surge of feeling might 
since have overtaken her. 

And then Esther’s moment came. 

Notwithstanding that Betty had dressed 
her, fixed her hair and kissed her only 
a few momehts before, she hardly recog- 
nized her own sister as she walked slowly 
to the front of the stage. For had they 
not always thought of Esther as the home- 
liest of their group of Camp Fire girls? 
What had happened to her, what wonder- 
ful transformation had taken place? Polly 
O’Neill almost gasped aloud. Of course 
every one of her friends had appreciated 
how much Esther had improved in appear- 
ance in the past two years, but it was 
hardly credible that she could look and 
behave like this, a girl brought up in an 
orphan asylum with no friends and no 
opportunities for so long a time! Well, 
one should understand that into each 
life certain wonderful hours may come 
when one seems to transcend one’s self. 


214 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


And tonight such an hour had come to 
Esther. 

She was to sing Elizabeth's farewell 
.song from the opera of Tannhauser. And 
though the concert was not to be sung 
in costume, so far as possible in selecting 
and arranging Esther’s dress Betty had 
been mindful of the character and the 
circumstances of her song. 

In the opera there is seen a wayside 
shrine where the Princess Elizabeth ap- 
pears each day to pray for the soul of 
her lover, the knight Tannhauser, who 
has gone on a pilgrimage to Rome to ask 
that his sins may be forgiven him. On 
this last day the pilgrims have passed on 
their journey homeward and among them 
Elizabeth sees no sign of her lost lover, 
so that she knows he must be unforgiven. 
She then sings this final song, asking that 
peace may come to her at last. 

Esther wore a long white gown of crepe 
de chine made in simple classic lines, 
with the draped tunic which is a modern 
fashion copied after a far older model. 
Ordinarily she was too tall and angular 
in every-day clothes, but this toilette 


THAT NIGHT 


215 


seemed to give her just the grace and 
dignity her figure and character needed. 
Her red hair, which had grown a little 
darker as she grew older, was tonight a 
crown of glory, so that the pallor of her 
long grave face did not matter, for her 
always beautiful mouth had a look both 
of power and of wistfulness that surprised 
the strangers in the audience. 

^^The girl is far too young for the song 
her teacher has chosen for her,^’ the critics 
whispered among themselves. It is not 
fair to make such an experiment, for this 
song of Elizabeth’s is one of the favorites 
among the great prima donnas. What would 
this young girl do with it? Would she be 
too theatrical, too showy, or fail altogether? 

While the orchestra played the opening 
chords Esther waited with her hands clasped 
hghtly together in front of her, but not 
moving them with her old nervous gesture. 
Neither did she seem to be looking at any- 
thing or anybody. Not once did she 
even glance toward the box where her 
sister and friends were watching her, though 
in a kind of subconscious fashion she 
was aware of the white intensity in Betty’s 


216 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


pretty face and the look of grave strength 
and helpfulness in Richard Ashton^s. 

Then Esther began to sing — and Betty, 
Dick, Polly, Mrs. Ashton and indeed aU 
her friends, both new and old, had a sud- 
den sensation of bitter disappointment. 
The tears came into Betty^s eyes, rolling 
unheeded down her cheeks, though Polly 
slipped her hand back through the opening 
in her chair to press it sympathetically. 
However, Richard Ashton only set his 
lips, hardly breathing for the space of 
half a moment. Did he not recall a 
similar beginning on Esther^s part some 
years before, when she had sung the 
Indian Love Song before a group of their 
Woodford acquaintances, which he had at 
first believed would end in a failure? 
Esther would not find this audience so 
ready to forgive or admire should she 
take too long a time before winning their 
attention. 

“O blessed Virgin, hear my prayer! 

Thou star of glory, look on me!'^ 

These lines were whispered in so low 
a tone that they were almost inaudible 


THAT NIGHT 


217 


except to the persons nearest the stage 
and Esther’s voice trembled with nervous- 
ness. Was she frightened as she had 
expected to be? It was diflB.cult to decide, 
because she stood so still. 

“Here in the dust I bend before thee, 

Now from this earth oh set me free! 

Let me a maiden pure and white, 

Enter into thy kingdom bright!” 

Betty’s tension relaxed. Bravo,” Miss 
Adams whispered under her breath. Rich- 
ard Ashton felt a glow which was oddly 
commingled of pleasure, pride and sorrow. 
Yet one could not think, could not feel 
any other emotion now except wonder 
and delight as the beautiful voice in per- 
fect sympathy with the music and its 
theme filled every shadowy space in the 
opera house with harmony. 

Betty witnessed the expressions on sev- 
eral previously bored faces near them 
changing first to surprise, then interest 
and finally frank pleasure. Small wonder 
that the old German music master had 
allowed this young American girl to appear 
unheralded before them! She could only 


218 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


be twenty-one or twenty-two years old 
at the most. What a future lay before 
her! 

Still Esther sang on: 

vain desires and earthy longing 
Have turn’d my heart from thee away, 

The sinful hopes within me thronging 
Before thy blessed feet I lay. 

I’ll wrestle with the love I cherished, 

Until in death its flame hath perish’d. 

If of my sin thou wilt not shrive me, 

Yet in this horn-, oh grant thy aid! 

Till thy eternal peace thou give me. 

And on thy bounty I will call, 

That heav’nly grace on him may fall.” 

And with the closing words of her song 
Esther suddenly seemed to have reached 
the realization of all her worst fears. 
Surely she had failed abjectly, for was 
there not a silence everywhere about her, 
chilling and cruel? Would not a single 
pair of hands applaud? She dared not 
try to find the face of her master, for 
she hoped never to have to see Professor 
Hecksher again so long as she hved. Yet 
here miraculously enough he had appeared 
on the stage standing next her, with one 


THAT NIGHT 


219 


of his powerful hands holding tight to 
her cold one, bowing and smiling, while 
the noise of many bravos and of almost 
a tumult of applause shook the house. 
Esther then wondered why she only felt 
dreadfully tired and had a childish dis- 
position to cry as the great maestro led 
her off the stage. 

But when the girl returned for her 
encore she was smiling, and her cheeks 
were more flushed than ever in her life. 
And in her hands she held a great bunch 
of pink roses which had mysteriously ap- 
peared in her dressing room. And this 
time she allowed herself to glance smilingly 
at Betty and Polly and Mrs. Ashton and 
even to exchange a single quiet glance 
with Richard Ashton. 

Then to the surprise, to the mystifica- 
tion and yet to the pleasure of her lis- 
teners, Esther sang the verses which had 
first touched Betty Ashton^s heart and 
inspired her ardor on that day long ago, 
the song that is to remain an inspiration 
to many thousands of women for many 
years to come, the Camp Fire song of 
^^The Soules Desire.^^ 


220 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


Lay me to sleep in sheltering flame, 

0 Master of the Hidden Fire. 

Wash pure my heart, and cleanse for me 
My soul’s desire. 

** In flame of sunrise bathe my mind, 

0 Master of the Hidden Fire, 

That, when I wake, clear-eyed may be 
My soul’s desire.” 

And ten minutes after the finishing of 
this second song Esther, Betty and Rich- 
ard Ashton were driving to their old 
pension where the entire party was to 
spend the night, Mrs. Ashton, Polly and 
Miss Adams meaning to join them when 
the concert was over. 

And in the carriage, again it was Esther 
who seemed quiet and composed, while 
between tears and laughter Betty poured 
forth her joy and pride in her sister's 
wonderful success. 


CHAPTER XIX 


Tea at the Castle 

S EVERAL days after Esther^s concert 
Lieutenant von Reuter persuaded 
Mrs. Ashton and Miss Adams to 
bring Betty and Polly with them to after- 
noon tea at the castle with his father. 
And as Anthony Graham, not knowing 
their plans, had come from Berlin for 
a farewell visit on the same day, he of 
course was included in the little company. 
Esther had been urged and had almost 
promised to be one of them, but when 
the morning of the party arrived she had 
pleaded to be excused. Immediately then 
Polly and Betty had both insisted that 
she change her mind and had tried coax- 
ing and scolding and almost every possible 
form of influence until at last Mrs. Ashton 
had come to her rescue. For Esther had 
been extremely tired since her d&mt and 
very unlike herself both girls considered. 
Indeed, they even went further in think- 
( 221 ) 


222 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


ing that she failed in proper appreciation 
and gratitude for her own success. How- 
ever, Esther naturally believed that her 
friends were overestimating her achieve- 
ment, yet she had recently scarcely under- 
stood herseh. For it was odd and stupid 
of her not to feel more elation and more 
interest in her own future. Had not 
Professor Hecksher himself written her 
that she had sung better than he expected? 
And this from the master was praise indeed! 
However, he had also written that she 
was to allow herself a complete rest before 
they had a talk about her future plans. 
So with this defense and Mrs. Ashton’s 
additional authority Esther was finally 
allowed the privilege of staying at home 
alone except for their maid. 

“Dick may be back a little earlier this 
afternoon, dear,” Betty said as she kissed 
her sister good-by. “He has not so much 
to do in BerUn now that he has finished 
his lectures and is just closing up his 
affairs. Keep him with you if you feel 
like talking to him, but if not, ask him 
to come over to the castle and drive 
back home with us. It is absurd for 


TEA AT THE CASTLE 223 


Dick to be so prejudiced against Lieutenant 
von Reuter and dreadfully embarrassing 
to me. For I am sure he hasn’t a reason 
in the world, and yet it is plain enough 
to everybody.” 

And as Betty walked away after this 
final speech Esther had a momentary pang 
of regret that she had not conquered her 
own disinclination and gone along with 
them. For they and Mrs. Ashton were 
leaving the country for Berlin as soon 
as the others sailed, and this might prove 
an excellent chance for the young foreigner 
to declare his feeling for Betty, if his 
admiration really was serious. Also Esther 
regretted that she had failed in asking 
Polly to keep a careful watch upon them, 
although this she imderstood that Polly 
was more than inclined to do without 
further suggestion. 

After Betty and her mother had climbed 
into the carriage, Anthony Graham ac- 
companying them, and Betty had waved 
her hand in farewell, Esther, who was 
standing on the porch watching them 
depart, suddenly recalled Richard Ashton’s 
half- jesting wish that their sister Betty 


224 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


were not quite so pretty. And this after- 
noon for the first time Esther believed 
that she agreed with him. It was absurd 
to send a girl looking hke the Princess 
did at this present moment into a young 
man’s home with the hope that he would 
cease to feel an interest in her. 

Because it was cold Betty wore a long 
white cloak over a china blue silk dress 
of her favorite shade and a white felt 
hat with a band of the same material 
about it. No costume could have been 
simpler, and yet excitement or pleasure 
or some unusual emotion had made the 
girl’s color brighter in her eyes, her cheeks 
and even her hair, so that there seemed 
a kind of mysterious shining about her 
like a star — a glow which Polly O’Neill 
recognized instantly as she took her place 
beside her in the carriage with Anthony 
Graham in front with the driver and 
Miss Adams and Mrs. Ashton together 
on the back seat. Indeed, it inspired 
Polly to give her friend rather a mahcious 
pinch which actually hurt a little and yet 
for which she would neither apologize nor 
explain. Betty presumed that it must 


TEA AT THE CASTLE 225 


have something to do with Anthony Gra- 
ham’s presence, since Polly immediately 
began making herseK more than usually 
agreeable to him, insisting that he give 
them his impressions of Germany and 
the Germans, when Anthony would much 
have preferred remaining silent. Polly 
hoped that thus she might be enabled to 
make her friend realize how much cleverer 
and more worth while an American fellow 
was than any blond Siegfried whom she 
might have met by accident in a foreign 
land. 

Carl von Reuter’s old feudal estate, 
however, was picturesque enough to excite 
even Polly’s undivided admiration, as they 
drove along an avenue of oak trees, some 
of them more than a century old, and 
crossed a drawbridge over a moat, which 
now formed the bed of a stream flowing 
down from the hills. 

Outside in the garden in front of the 
house the visitors found Lieutenant von 
Reuter, his cousin Frederick and his father 
walking about in the afternoon sunshine 
waiting to receive their guests. And the 
young count wore his full dress uniform 


15 


226 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


as an officer in one of the Kaiser^s regi- 
ments. He was undeniably handsome, and 
there was no doubt but that he and Betty 
made a striking picture as they stood 
side by side for a moment before entering 
the house, while the young man showed 
the girl the view of their hunting forests 
over to the right where she had had her 
accident. 

Tea was served in the most splendid 
apartment that either the two American 
girls or Anthony Graham had ever seen 
before in their lives. Perhaps there was 
some motive in their host^s inviting them 
into the big banqueting hall in an upper 
part of the castle rather than in the 
shabby drawing rooms on the first fioor, 
where the poverty of the family was so 
much more apparent. But even if this 
were true, the selection was a happy one, 
for which his guests were unfeignedly 
thankful. The great room was fifty feet 
long and about two-thirds as broad. It 
had heavy black oak paneling midway to 
the ceiling, which was formed of heavy 
beams and rafters of the same wood. 
And along the ledge of the wainscoting 


TEA AT THE CASTLE 227 


were old tankards of silver and pewter, 
plates hammered deep with the armorial 
bearings of different branches of the family. 
Shields hung against the walls and bat- 
tered helmets, while standing in groups 
or in solemn sohtary dignity were the 
^^ron men^’ or the '^knights in armor,’’ 
who had fought for their war lords long 
before Germany was an empire. 

The old count, although he spoke Eng- 
lish much less well than his son, led his 
guests toward a circular space under- 
neath a great stained-glass window, where 
the light of the afternoon sun shone rose 
and gold upon the carved table and 
high-back chairs. He appeared genuinely 
pleased with their interest and enthusiasm 
over his estate and the country near by, 
until Polly, whose sense of the dramatic 
was always stronger than any other, felt 
herself becoming as ardently admiring of 
the older man as she was critical of his 
son. And after tea was over and the 
others sat discussing unimportant matters, 
in a moment of thoughtlessness, Polly 
allowed the old count to lead her and 
Anthony Graham to another part of the 


228 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


house in order to show them his library. 
Mrs. Ashton and Miss Adams had ex- 
pressed themselves as too tired for the 
climbing of more stairs, while Betty, Carl 
and Frederick von Reuter, though making 
no excuses, yet failed to join them. 

When nearly midway down the room it 
did occur to Polly as unwise to be leaving 
Betty unchaperoned by her own vigilance, 
yet as Betty now shook her head, declining 
positively to be lured into this excursion, 
there was nothing to do but to trust her 
friend to Mrs. Ashton and Margaret Adams 
for a few moments. 

Nevertheless Polly should have under- 
stood that Mrs. Ashton would not oppose 
any suggestion for a more intimate con- 
versation with Betty that the young lieu- 
tenant might chance to make. And of 
course it was impossible for Miss Adams 
to object unless Betty ^s mother did. As 
for Frederick von Reuter, the attraction 
he once entertained for the American girl 
seemed to continue now only in a kind 
of transferred interest in his cousin’s success. 

So that five minutes after Polly dis- 
appeared out of one door at the far end 


TEA AT THE CASTLE 229 


of the hall, Carl von Reuter led Betty 
through another, ostensibly to show her 
a celebrated portrait in the family gallery, 
but without inviting the others to accom- 
pany them. And Betty seemed quite 
willingly to have accepted his invitation. 

Once inside the gallery, she appeared 
more deeply interested in the pictures 
than the young man expected or desired. 
For the greater number of them were ugly 
old men and stout elderly Fraiten with no 
very strong attraction even for their de- 
scendant. And there at the end of the 
dark room near a window hung with a 
faded velvet curtain, stood a small oak 
seat, while beyond was a particularly fine 
view of the park. 

But Betty could only be lured to this 
seat by long effort and the moment after 
seating herself suggested that they had 
best return to the others now that the 
pictures had been seen, since it must be 
almost time for leaving for home. Never- 
theless, as her host did not stir or even 
seem to have heard her request, Betty 
subsided for a few moments. She was 
honestly weary, being unaccustomed to 


230 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


such a vast house with its miles of steps 
and endless passage-ways. 

'^Miss Ashton,” said Lieutenant von 
Reuter suddenly and quite formally, ^Vill 
you do me the honor to become my wife? 
In my country you know it is the custom 
to speak first to the parent, but I imder- 
stand that it is not so in your United 
States.” 

Then as Betty ga*ed at him without 
answering, although her face had flushed 
deeply, he went on with more feeling: 
^^You know I have cared for you always 
since our first meeting. I have been 
unable — have not cared to conceal it.” 

Frightened and uncertain, Betty bit her 
lips to keep them from trembling. This 
was her first proposal, and she could not 
help thinking of that for a moment; be- 
sides it was so romantic! No one of her 
friends would ever be apt to experience 
anything like it. Here she and Lieutenant 
von Reuter were in his splendid, shabby 
old castle sitting together in the shadow 
of his ancestors. Why, what he had just 
said to her meant that she might some 
day be a countess if she wished! But 


TEA AT THE CASTLE 231 


Betty brought herself together with a 
slight frown and a feeling of distaste and 
shame of herseK. What absurd ideas 
were in her mind in the presence of so 
tremendously serious a subject! Here she 
was thinking and behaving like a foolish 
dreaming child. Did she care for Carl 
von Reuter for himseK? Would she have 
cared had he been of more humble origin, 
had he been less handsome? Betty glanced 
at the yoimg fellow almost fearfully. She 
had been trying to decide how much she 
hked him before this without success. 
Yet because until today he had not declared 
his feeling toward her, she had not felt it 
necessary wholly to make up her mind. 

^^But I thought, Lieutenant von Reuter, 
Betty answered slowly, ''that it was im- 
possible for you to marry any one who 
was not wealthy, that your estates were 
mortgaged and that your father looked 
to you to make your old name prominent 
once more.” 

Until now she had kept her head slightly 
turned away; but with her question Betty 
faced her companion, her expression grave 
and interested. 


232 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


Yet she was surprised to see that the 
young man^s blue eyes now closed slightly 
while his fair face flushed with what 
appeared to be an odd combination of 
satisfaction and regret. 

^^But you are no longer poor, Miss 
Ashton,^’ he answered unexpectedly. 
have lately heard of your good fortune, 
and while it is very little compared to 
the amoimt my father expected me to 
marry, it may be enough. At least, 
I have been able to persuade him that 
I care for you so much that we must 
make it do.’’ 

Carl von Reuter spoke quite frankly 
without any special embarrassment, for it 
did not seem to him that his speech was 
in any way remarkable. Indeed, it should 
make Betty realize the extent of his 
admiration for her that he had been 
able to overlook the smallness of her 
inheritance in comparison with his own 
needs. Why, a week before he should 
not have been able to make any decla- 
ration of his own feelings! Yet now he 
was offering his title, his castle, almost 
his whole future, to an American girl 


TEA AT THE CASTLE 233 


whose estate was so small that it could 
scarcely do more than cover their debts. 
And that Betty should not be honored 
by his offer was beyond his point of view. 
A German girl would have appreciated 
the sacrifice he was making; so why not 
an American? 

Betty sat perfectly still during his ex- 
planation, with her hands clasped tightly 
together, showing white against the blue 
folds of her dress. In her whole life she 
had never felt so astounded, so completely 
overwhelmed, and in truth so angry. 
How could any man coolly say to her 
that he was willing to marry her in spite 
of the smallness of her fortune, plainly 
insinuating at the same moment that 
unless she had had the good luck to come 
into her unexpected inheritance she should 
never have received the honor at all. 

The girFs cheeks first fiushed hotly 
and then she felt herself growing pale 
and self-possessed. Never in her life had 
she had a more important demand made 
upon her dignity and good sense. For 
she must not show any kind of ill-feeling. 
Thank goodness that she was able to 


234 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


give the only kind of reply that could 
carry any kind of weight or conviction 
to her companion and that she could say 
it with all truthfulness. For never had 
Betty Ashton felt less affection for any 
friend she had ever had than she did at 
this instant for the young nobleman. 

^^You are very kind, Lieutenant von 
Reuter/^ she now answered quietly, ‘^and 
I greatly appreciate the honor which you 
feel you have given me. But I donT 
care for you in the way that you wish 
me to and I am very, very sure that I 
never can. Do you not now think it 
time for us to go and join the others?’’ 

And Betty talked pleasantly and un- 
affectedly of other things, while her host 
led her back on the return journey between 
his lines of distinguished ancestors, al- 
though the yoimg man himself scarcely 
made a reply to one of her remarks. 


CHAPTER XX 


Esther and Dick 

N ot long after the others had 
driven away Esther found that 
it was quite impossible for her 
to take a nap as she had planned. She 
seemed to be growing more restless and 
fatigued with every moment spent upon 
the bed. Besides, had she not been in- 
doors far too much recently, when they 
would so soon be going back to the city 
where only a comparatively small amount 
of outdoor life would be possible? 

Esther did not stop to dress with any 
care; she merely fixed her hair and slipped 
a long brown coat over her dress, tying 
a light scarf about her hair. And because 
both Mrs. Ashton and Dick had insisted 
that no one of the three girls go any 
distance from home alone after Betty’s 
misfortime, she wandered about idly in 
their small enclosed garden for a few 
moments and then sat down in Betty’s 

(235) 


236 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


empty steamer chair under their single 
tall linden tree. The light gusts of the 
October wind sent down little showers 
of curled-up yellow leaves and shriveled 
flowers upon her head and shoulders, until 
Esther, glancing up at them, smiled. 
When she dropped her eyes again she 
saw that Dick Ashton was on his way 
toward her along the short path from 
the gate. And he held a bundle of let- 
ters in his hand which he had stopped 
by the village post-ofiice to secure. Two 
of them he dropped into Esther’s lap 
and then sat down on the ground near 
her, sighing quite unconsciously. 

^^Are you all by yomseK?” he inquired. 

Esther nodded. ^^Yes, I did not feel 
like being polite to any one this after- 
noon. Betty told me to ask you to walk 
over and join them if you are not too 
tired.” 

am not too tired, yet I have not 
the remotest idea of going,” Dick returned 
quietly. Though I declare to you, 
Esther, that it seems to me if Betty really 
does care for this German fellow, it will 
be about the last straw.” 


ESTHER AND DICK 


237 


Always if you had asked Esther Crip- 
pen’s friends what they considered the 
dominant trait of her character the answer 
would have been sympathy.” So now, 
observing Richard Ashton’s anxiety and 
depression, she almost entirely forgot her 
own. 

^^The last straw. Dr. Ashton?” she re- 
peated. And then smiling and yet wholly 
gentle she asked, ^^Why do you say Hhe 
last straw’ in such a desperate fashion? 
Surely things are not going so wrong 
with you! If you feel so dreadfully un- 
happy over leaving Betty and your mother 
behind, why you know I don’t wish to 
be selfish. Take them with you; I shall 
manage somehow.” 

Leaning over, Dick Ashton touched 
Esther’s hand lightly with his lips in such 
a friendly, kindly fashion that the girl 
did not flush or draw it away. 

^^Who says that I am so desperate over 
leaving mother and the Princess to take 
care of our future great American prima 
donna?” he asked half-joking and half- 
serious. 

The girl’s brows drew together in her 


238 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


effort to understand and appreciate her 
friend^s real meaning. I donT 

see what else there can be to make you 
unhappy/’ she replied thoughtfully. “You 
are going back to your own country, 
which you know you have learned to 
care more for with each year that you 
have spent away from it. And you are 
going to commence the practice of the 
profession you have always loved since 
you were a child. But of course if there 
is anything else that is worrying you 
which I have not the right to know, I 
don’t want you to think that I am try- 
ing to make you confide in me. I can 
sympathize with you without under- 
standing.” 

“Then you have a very rare and won- 
derful gift, Esther,” Dick Ashton replied. 
“But please read your letters and don’t 
consider me.” 

Slowly the girl read a letter from her 
father, which besides its interest in her 
work was so full of bits of Woodford 
interest and gossip that she felt herself 
growing sharply homesick. Then, tucking 
this letter inside her dress, to re-read to 


ESTHER AND DICK 


239 


her sister later, Esther slowly opened the 
one from her music master in Berlin. It 
was just what she had expected. Pro- 
fessor Hecksher felt that she might have 
a future in grand opera, only she was 
far too young and too untrained to attempt 
it for several years. So she must stay 
on in Germany, working unceasingly with 
him until they could both understand more 
thoroughly her capabilities. 

Esther let this single sheet of paper 
slip out of her hand to the ground, where 
Dick picked it up, returning it to her. 
But not before he had recognized the 
master^s handwriting and letter head. 

^^It is all right, isnT it?’^ he queried, 
surprised at the girFs expression. 

^^Oh, yes, I suppose so,^’ she replied, 
not looking at him but at a far stretch 
of country with her eyes and of years 
with her mind. ^^Only I expect I am 
what both Betty and PoUy think me, an 
ungrateful and unreasonable person with 
no ambition and no imagination.^^ 

Dick was silent for a moment and then 
answered, ^^No, Esther, I do not believe 
you appreciate what a great gift you 


240 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


have; you are too modest and care too 
little for the applause most of the people 
in the world are willing to sacrifice every- 
thing for” 

Richard Ashton turned his serious dark 
eyes upward toward the tall, pale girl 
sitting in the chair near him. Esther,^’ 
he said, “I want to tell you, to make 
you believe what a great gift you have. 
I love you, and more than anything on 
earth I want you to be my wife. The 
other day when Anthony Graham came 
with the news from Woodford that Betty 
had inherited a small fortune I was hap- 
pier than I can ever tell you. And it 
was not for Betty’s sake or even mother’s; 
it was a selfish happiness. For then I 
believed that both you and I were released 
from our first duty to them and that 
I had the right to tell you that I cared 
for you and meant to try and make you 
love me. Then came the night of your 
concert, when I heard you sing. And 
since then, Esther, I have realized that 
I have no right to ask you to give up 
the career that is before you and to ask 
you to share my uncertain future. For 


ESTHER AND DICK 


241 


with my work I could not follow yours 
and my profession is the one thing I 
have learned. I had not meant to tell 
you this, but, after all, Esther, I don’t 
know why I should not. A girl can 
never be hurt by knowing that a man 
loves her.^’ 

And for the second time Dick kissed 
Esther’s hand and then turned his face 
away. 

The next moment the girl had risen 
from her chair. “Dr. Ashton, will you 
take a walk with me?” she asked. “I 
am tired sitting here.” 

Then, without referring to what had 
just been said between them, the girl 
and man walked along, talking quietly 
of other things until they came to the 
stream of water sheltered by trees, with 
a rim of hiUs along the other side. Aw^ay 
from the possibility of being interrupted 
Esther stopped, putting her hand on her 
companion’s arm. 

She did not look like her usual self; 
her face was flooded with color and her 
shyness and reserve for the moment seemed 
swept away. 


16 


242 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


^^You were not fair to me just now/^ 
she declared. ^^You had not the right 
to tell me you cared for me without ask- 
ing me what my feeling was for you. 
Why does everybody in the world think 
that because I have a talent I have to 
sacrifice my whole life to it? I love my 
music, but I don’t wish to be an opera 
singer. I hate the kind of existence it 
forces one to lead. I want a home of 
my own and some one to care for me. 
Why do people nowadays think that girls 
are so changed, that all of us are wishing 
to be independent and famous? Why, it 
was because our old Camp Fire club 
taught us that all the best things of life 
are centered about the hearth fire that 
means home, that I first cared for it so 
much. I wonder if any one realizes 
because I was brought up in an orphan 
asylum and then lived with other people 
that I have never had a home of my 
own in my life. But of course this would 
not count, Dick, if I did not care for you 
more than I do for my music, or even for 
Betty. Tell me, then, is it my duty to 
go on with my work in Berlin, to give up 


ESTHER AND DICK 


243 


everything I wish for a career I don^t 
desire?” And here, overcome by the 
rush of her own feelings and her own 
words, Esther ceased speaking, feeling her 
old stupid, nervous trembling seize her. 

But Richard Ashton^s arms were about 
her, holding her still. 

^^The most perfect home that my love 
can make for you, Esther, shall be yours 
so long as we live. And there are other 
ways where the gift of a beautiful voice 
inay bring pleasure and reward outside of 
the life you dread.” 


CHAPTER XXI 


Sunrise Cabin 

I T was Christmas once more at the 
Camp Fire cabin and a wonderful 
white night. Everywhere there was 
snow and enchantment under the ^^Long- 
night Moon.’’ 

Dinner was over, for from the inside 
of the great living room came the sound of 
music and dancing and many gay voices. 

Built like a magic circle about the log 
house were seven camp fires, uncurling 
their long fingers of flame into the frost- 
laden air. And now and then fire-makers 
came out of the cabin, usually in pairs, 
to pile more logs and pine branches where 
the need was greatest. 

First Eleanor Meade and Frank Whar- 
ton, and Eleanor looked tall and pic- 
turesque in her Indian costume with a 
white shawl over her shoulders. But 
when they had finished with their fire 
building they walked on a few yards 

( 244 ) 


SUNRISE CABIN 


245 


and then lingered for a moment close to 
the tall Totem pole, which still stood 
like a faithful sentinel outside the Sun- 
rise Cabin door, its colors bright with 
the history of the Camp Fire club it had 
been chosen to tell. 

^^I thought I was going to be a great 
artist when I painted that pole and the 
walls of our cabin, Frank,” Eleanor whis- 
pered. ^^But the paths of a woman’s 

glory sometimes lead ” 

To the altar,” Frank returned. Never 
mind, dear, there is no place where one 
so needs to keep the white lights burn- 
ing.” And a little later he and his com- 
panion disappeared along the path that 
led to the grove of pines closer to the 
foot of the mountain. 

For nearly ten minutes no one else 
opened the cabin door; then two muffled 
figures stole out and industriously piled 
wood on half a dozen of the dying fires. 
Out of breath they afterwards paused 
and began talking to each other. They 
were the two girls in the Camp Fire club 
at Simrise HiU who were now the closest 
friends. 


246 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


am awfully glad to hear of your new 
position, Nan. Are you going to make 
more money?’^ Sylvia Wharton asked with 
her old-time bluntness. 

And as Nan Graham nodded, she went 
on, want everybody in our club to 
understand that no matter what any one 
of us accomplishes, you are the best of 
the lot. Because the rest of us have had 
money and aid from other persons, but you 
have done every blessed thing for yourself 
and have helped other people besides.” 

^^Yes, but I don’t have to help now,” 
Nan explained. Anthony is able to do 
everything for the family that is necessary 
beyond what father earns. And he has 
made me promise to go to college next 
year and study all the courses in domestic 
science that I can manage, besides chem- 
istry and physiology and hygiene. I shall 
be a wonderfully learned person if I ever 
know half the things he wishes me to.” 

^'Anthony is splendid,” Sylvia an- 
nounced, ^^and you will have a chair in 
a college some day.” 

At the absurdity of this suggestion, which 
nevertheless might one day come true. Nan 


SUNRISE CABIN 


247 


laughed, putting her arm across Sylvia^s 
shoulder. ^^We must go back indoors 
or you may take cold, Dr. Wharton,'^ 
she teased. Truly I am glad that your 
father and mother have made you under- 
take the study of medicine instead of 
going on with nursing. For my part I 
shall always prefer you as a physician to 
Dr. Ashton, even though he has a good 
many years^ start of you.^^ 

Never could Sylvia take things humor- 
ously. ^^Then you will show very poor 
judgment. Nan Graham. Richard Ash- 
ton is going to be a perfect wonder. 
Betty and Esther both say I may be his 
partner, but I shall not. I am coming 
back to Woodford after I graduate and 
help Dr. Barton. Thank heavens, he and 
Rose Dyer finally decided to marry last 
month. It will take both of them to 
look after little Faith. That child is 
so queer and fanciful I am afraid she 
may turn out a poet.^’ And Sylvia did 
not smile or have the least understanding 
that she had said anything amusing when 
her friend led her back inside the cabin 
living room. 


248 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


Then Meg Everett and her brother 
John strolled out into the night air, arm 
in arm, and went and piled logs on the 
camp fire farthest away from the house. 

Meg wore nothing on her head in spite 
of the cold, so that her yellow-brovui hair 
blew about her face in shocldng con- 
fusion. Yet her elder brother did not 
seem to be in a sufficiently critical mood 
tonight to notice it. 

“DonT stay outdoors too long or go 
far away from the cabin, Betty; I am 
so afraid you may take cold,^^ Esther 
Ashton whispered ten minutes after John 
and Meg had come in, wrapping her own 
long white fur coat about her sister. Esther 
had been married now for two weeks and 
she and Richard Ashton had returned 
from their honeymoon journey to spend 
the holidays with their own people before 
leaving for Boston. So Esther was in 
bridal white, with no other color than 
her crown of red hair. Betty wore the 
last frock she had bought in London before 
sailing for home, having paid a great deal 
more for it than she felt that she should, 
just to taste the joy of being extravagant 


SUNRISE CABIN 


249 


once again. It was of blue velvet with a 
silver girdle, with silver embroidery about 
the throat. Instead of jewelry she wore 
her chains of Camp Fire honor beads. 

^^No, I won^t be gone long, dear,’^ 
Betty answered. “I have promised too 
many people to dance with them. But it 
is such a glorious night! And I have told 
Anthony Graham that I would look at the 
beautiful picture our cabin makes with the 
camp fires burning around it. The moon 
is now just above the top of the old hill.^^ 
At this moment Dick Ashton joined 
them. ^^Moon, Betty Ashton,’’ he began 
with a pretense of sternness, 'Ts the very 
last word I wish to hear from your lips.” 

Then, as Betty ran away from the 
possibility of his further objecting to her 
departure, Dick turned seriously to Esther. 

Esther, if you have any influence with 
Betty, do please stop allowing her to 
have admirers. Tell her that she is not 
to be permitted to consider any one 
seriously, say for five or ten years.” 

As Esther laughed, he added, “Who 
is it that she has gone off in the moon- 
light with this time? Anthony Graham? 


250 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


Well, he is a fine fellow, but has his way 
to make, and thank fortime cannot think 
of marrying for several years!” 

Down by the lake, which was frozen 
over with a thin coating of ice, forming 
a kind of mirror for the silver face of 
the moon, Anthony and Betty were at this 
moment standing in the shadow looking 
out over its surface. 

‘^1 want to teU you something I never 
have mentioned, Anthony,” Betty said 
gravely. want to thank you for 

coming to Germany to bring me the 
good news of my inheritance. Oh, it is 
not that I could not have waited longer 
to have heard, but that if the news had 
not come just when it did, I might have 
been the unconscious cause of making 
the two people I love almost best in the 
world unhappy all their lives. For you 
see I did not dream that Dick cared for 
Esther or she for him. So I kept on 
urging Esther to devote herself to her 
music, when all the time she and Dick 
wanted to be married, and Esther was only 
going on with her music because she wanted 
to earn money for me and for father. As 


SUNRISE CABIN 


251 


though either one of us wished her to 
sacrifice herself!’’ 

Still, your brother was a brave fellow 
to ask a girl to give up such a future,” 
Anthony Graham returned. I don’t think 
I could have done it.” 

Betty frowned at him. ^'Why not?” 
she demanded. 

Turning toward her, Anthony now looked 
at her so steadfastly that the girl’s white 
lids drooped. 

‘'Well, once I cared for a girl who was 
miles and miles above me in family, posi- 
tion, beauty, brains, oh, everything that 
is worth having, except one thing!” he 
explained. “Neither she nor her people 
had money; they had lost it through 
misfortune. So I used to work and dream 
that some day I might be able to climb 
that one hill. But before I was even half- 
way up my hill — oh, I can’t talk in figures 
of speech, I must speak plain English — 
why the girl inherited a lot of money. 
So now she has everything and I have 
nothing worth while to offer her. Yet 
I don’t wish her to think that I have 
ever ceased caring for her or ever will.” 


252 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


'^Anthony/’ Betty replied unexpectedly, 
“I always wear that little enameled pin 
representing a pine tree that you sent 
me by Polly a long time ago. But I 
have been thinking lately that perhaps 
you did not remember that one of the 
meanings of the pine tree is faithfulness. 

Then she moved away toward the cabin 
and, as the young man walked along 
beside her without speaking, she said half 
to herseK and half to him, ^^Not long ago 
I had one person declare that he cared 
for me because I had inherited a fortune. 
And here is another person who has ceased 
caring because I have money. Yet, if I 
have to choose between the two, I believe 
I like the American way best.’’ 

‘‘You don’t mean that you like me, do 
you, Betty?” Anthony pleaded. 

The Princess shook her head. “I don’t 
mean anything — ^yet, Anthony,” she an- 
swered. 

Inside the living room on their return 
they found at least a dozen friends urging 
Esther to sing. To Margaret Adams’ 
request she finally yielded. For Miss 
Adams had lately come to Woodford to 


SUNRISE CAEIN 


253 


spend the week with Polly O^Neill^s family. 
And now Polly was standing with her 
arm slipped caressingly through her 
friend’s. 

“I shall never, never be able to under- 
stand how Esther Crippen could give up 
her art and her career for Dick Ashton’s 
sake, fine as he is,” Polly murmured in 
Miss Adams’ ear. ^^If I only had one- 
half of Esther’s talent for the work I hope 
to do I should be down on my knees with 
gratitude.” Then Polly gave the arm 
she was holding fast a slight pressure. 
^'But mother says perhaps I may come and 
have a small part in your company next 
spring, as you said I might. And surely 
if anybody in the world can teach me 
to be a great actress it is you!” 

Then Polly’s lips twitched and her ex- 
pression changed in its odd Irish fashion, 
for across the room she now caught sight 
of her old enemy and friend, Billy Web- 
ster, stiU glowering disapprovingly at her. 
But the next instant he had turned and 
was smiling a reply to some question 
that MoUie O’Neill had just put to him. 

Then no one spoke or moved for several 


254 


ACROSS THE SEAS 


moments, under the spell of Esther’s 

Good-night” Camp Fire song. 

Beneath the quiet sentinel stars, we now rest. 

May we arise to greet the new day, give it our best. 

Good-night, good-night, God over all.’^ 

The next volume in the Camp Fire 
Series shall be known as “The Camp Fire 
Girls’ Careers.” The group of girls who 
first came together to spend a summer as 
a Camp Fire Club in the woods are now 
grown up and life has, of course, altered and 
widened for all of them. The question 
now is, What will each girl do to make her 
future happy and successful? Will she 
marry well or ill, or will she choose to fol- 
low some career in which marriage has no 
part? Although the fifth volume is to deal 
with the original number of heroines, it 
will be more largely devoted to the most 
brilliant and erratic of the twelve Camp 
Fire Girls, Polly O’Neill. 


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